Gut-Healing Bone Broth

They chicken chicken soup for the soul, well really its the broth!

I've dealt with leaky gut, food sensitivity, bloating and a general sense that my system was working harder than it needed to. I tried many things but what made the most consistent, noticeable difference was something very simple: making broth a staple in my life.

Over time, digestion softened. Meals became easier to assimilate. My skin, hair and nails grew smoother and more resilient. Energy stabilised. My body stopped bracing. I felt warmer.

Bone broth is not a trend. It’s one of the oldest forms of repair we have, quiet, structural nourishment that the gut and nervous system recognise immediately. I swear our ancestors from aeons have bathed in the power of broth.

This is how I make it.

Bone ratio

For a properly gelatinous, therapeutic broth, aim for:

1.5–2 kg total bones

This can be:

• One roast chicken carcass (600–900 g), plus
• 700 g–1 kg extra broth bones or chicken wings/nibbles

If you want a thicker, more restorative broth, wings and joint-heavy bones make a noticeable difference.

Ingredients

Bones

• 1 roast chicken carcass, broken into pieces
• 700 g–1 kg additional chicken wings, nibbles, or broth bones

Liquids

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Filtered water to cover bones by 3–4 cm (usually 3–4 litres)

Vegetables (simple and grounding)

• 1–2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, or pumpkin for sweetness chopped
• 1-2 bayleaves
• 1 brown onion, halved (skin on)
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• A few sprigs of woody herbs (thyme, sage, rosemary)

Warming and structural support (optional, seasonal)

• 3–5 slices fresh ginger
• 1 small piece fresh turmeric or ½ teaspoon dried
• digestive seeds – coriander, cumin, caraway etc

Blood and nervous system support (added later)

• 2–4 jujube dates
• 1–2 tablespoons dried goji berries

Method

Place bones and vegetables into a large pot or slow cooker.

Add apple cider vinegar and cold filtered water to cover.

Ideally let sit for 30 minutes before heating to begin mineral extraction.

Bring slowly to a gentle simmer.

Skim any foam that rises in the first hour.

Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 8–12 hours. The surface should barely move.

Add jujube dates in the final 30 minutes.

Turn off heat. Add goji berries and fresh herbs. Cover and steep for 10–15 minutes.

Strain and cool.

Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon per serving – once and cooled slightly to keep vitamin C in tact.

If using lamb or beef bones

The method is the same with one important addition.

• Use 1.5–2 kg lamb or beef bones (knuckles, joints, marrow bones)
• Roast bones first at 200°C for 30–40 minutes until lightly browned
• Transfer roasted bones to a pot and follow the method above

Roasting adds warmth, depth, and digestibility especially useful in colder months or for depleted systems.

You can simmer red-meat broths longer (12–24 hours) if desired.

Storage and texture

• Refrigerate up to 5 days
• Freeze in jars or cubes for longer keeping
• When cold, the broth should set into a soft gel

That gelatinous texture is a sign the broth is doing what it’s meant to do.

Why this works

• Collagen, glycine, and glutamine support gut lining repair
• Long simmering extracts minerals the body can actually use
• Gentle sweetness nourishes without aggravation
• Regular intake retrains digestion rather than forcing it

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, jujube dates are used to:

• tonify Qi and Blood
• support digestion
• calm the nervous system and harmonise the formula

Goji berries are traditionally used to:

• nourish Liver and Kidney Blood
• support immunity and skin health
• gently restore after depletion

They are added at the end so their qualities remain intact.

And for many of us, simplicity is where things finally begin to heal. I hope you enjoy as much as I do.
For a little further Ayurvedic knowledge check out below.

Primary effect:

Strongly Vata-pacifying

Why:

• Warm, liquid, oily, mineral-rich
• Deeply nourishing to tissues (dhatus)
• Supports digestion, nerves, joints and recovery

Vata is dry, cold, light, and irregular. Bone broth is the opposite.

Secondary effects:

• Pitta: generally soothing if not over-spiced
• Kapha: can increase if taken in excess or without warming spices
  

Best for:

• Luteal + menstrual phase
• Burnout, depletion, anxiety
• Cold, dry, nervous constitutions