Could You Use Some Comfort?

Today it is so easy and quick to make soup in a crockpot or slow-cooker before you leave the house for the day. When you return at the end of the day, anxiety mellows, blood pressure goes down, and the tension of the day disappears as soon as the aroma of the homemade soup fills the air around you. Not only does the house smell good, but if you are making a “bone broth” based soup you are getting a nutritious, healthy meal. When you have a cold or the flu, there is nothing better than homemade chicken soup.

“Bone broth” has been enjoyed since humans started heating their food. Historians confirm cultures all over the world have made it for thousands of years. They realized not only did it taste good, but it also provided the body with health benefits.

Our early ancestors respected life. They were hunters and made use of the entire animals they killed. Parts that could not be eaten were used to make clothes, shelters, blankets, tools, weapons, etc. Throwing away any part of an animal was unthinkable. Over time, these parts were put into a cooking pot with some water and heated for several hours to draw out the nutrients from the bones and tenderize the animal parts that were included. Thus, the term “bone broth” was born.

Over time, vegetables, herbs, and spices were added to create a full meal in one pot. It doesn’t matter if your ancestors were European or Asian, bone broth was a staple in their diet. The Asian tradition of beginning a meal with a soup made from bone broth and vegetables is still followed by many whose family originated from China, Korea, or Japan. They know that this soup cleanses the palate and aids in digestion. Chicken bone broth is a favorite dish in middle eastern countries. In the Caribbean, people eat what is called “cow foot soup” to help cure all kinds of health ailments.

The beginning of the 20^th century, people were busy outside of the home and countries were becoming industrialized. In 1908 a Japanese biochemist invented Monosodium glutamate (MSG) which provided food companies with a product that gave broth the flavor of meat. Unfortunately, manufactured broth did not contain the healthy nutrients that the homemade broth did. The companies saved time and money by simply tossing MSG into water.

The newer generation of health-conscious people has brought a resurgence for original homemade “bone broth” like their grandparents and great-grandparents ate. With slow cookers and crockpots, cooking bones in water for a long period of time is something everyone can do no matter how busy their schedule is for the day. The most time-consuming part of making bone broth is ensuring the bones are removed before serving it.

For most people today, just “bone broth” doesn’t satisfy the palate. Once poultry or beef and various vegetables along with spices and herbs are added to the broth, the result is a delicious soup or stew. There are entire cookbooks full of recipes for nutritious soups. Many contain ones from different countries so the variety is limitless.

Have you had your soup today?

http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodsoups.html