As part of our food series, our resident nutrition expert, Felicia Dekeghel, shares her simple, nutritious, and collagen-boosting bone broth recipe.
Why is everyone talking about bone broth?
Bone broth is a collagen-rich liquid full of essential minerals and proteins, making it a great restorative tonic that's renowned for its holistic health benefits. Regular consumption of bone broth has been shown to support gut health, improve skin elasticity and hydration, and help build a strong immune system.
As we navigate the menopausal transition, a natural decline in collagen and the sex hormone estrogen, which is also involved in looking after our complexion, contribute to brittle nails, wrinkles, dry skin, and the telltale signs of ageing in our bones and joints.
One cup of bone broth averages 5–15 grammes of collagen, an impactful contribution that may help ease various menopausal symptoms and elevate your well-being by supporting your body from within.
Organic chicken bone broth
Ingredients
2 x organic chicken carcasses
250 gm chicken feet (if available)
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tbsp Himalayan salt
1⁄2 onion
1 roughly chopped up carrot
2 celery sticks roughly chopped
1 zucchini chopped
1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
Filtered water to fill the pot until ingredients are submerged
Method
1. Roast the bones and chicken feet for 20 minutes on 180 degrees
2. Fill a large pot with filtered water, add the ginger, garlic, onion, apple cider vinegar and
roasted chicken frames.
3. Add the remaining veggies, the water should be just covering all ingredients.
4. Bring to the boil, skim off the fat when it comes to the surface.
5. Turn down the heat and let the broth simmer for 6-8 hours.
6. Strain the broth , discard all veggies and carcass.
7. Bottle in glass jars. Place lids on when broth has cooled
8. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze.
Achieving that perfect, gelatinous jiggle in bone broth once cooled signals a well-crafted concoction, with high-quality collagen-rich bones being the key. Collagen, the primary protein in connective tissue, is abundant in these bones (in particular the skin and tendons of chicken feet), providing essential amino acids, especially glycine. Simmering these bones over time dissolves and reforms the amino acids into gelatine, giving the broth its desirable jiggle and bounce.
This thick jelly is full of collagen, gelitin, vitamins, and amino acids—all the good stuff! When heated, it becomes a thick, silky soup, delicious by itself or as a base to add to. The more collagen-rich the bones are, the more gelatinous your broth will become.
Fel Dekeghel is a registered nutritionist, wellness chef, and owner of the popular Byron Bay cleanse bar, Fels Kitchen.
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