Caroline Peyton with homemade bone broth - easy bone broth recipe

Bone Broth Recipe (Easy & Nourishing) + Why It’s So Good for Gut Health

“Bone broth is a nutrient-rich stock made by slowly simmering bones, vegetables, and herbs. It’s valued for supporting gut health, joints, skin, and hydration due to its collagen, amino acids, and mineral content. You can enjoy it as a warm drink or use it as a base for soups and cooking.”

Last weekend I did something I’d been meaning to do for a long time… I made bone broth.

We often have a roast chicken on Sunday evening and every time I regret throwing the bones away and not using them to make bone broth.

But over the Easter weekend, I finally gave it a go, and I have to tell you, it was far simpler and easier than I expected. In fact, it’s something you could easily do on a busy weekday, as it needs very little hands-on time.

And if you haven’t tried it I recommend you do. I have included the recipe I used and I provide below the many benefits and reasons why you should include bone broth in your diet too.

Why Bone Broth?

As a nutritional therapist specialising in gut health, this is something I often recommend to clients.

Bone broth contains collagen and an amino acid called glutamine, both of which help strengthen the integrity of the gut lining.

You may have heard the term “leaky gut”.

Stress, certain medications, and modern diets can all damage the gut lining. This damage can result in toxins and poorly digested food particles to pass through into the bloodstream.

This can set up a chain reaction for systemic problems elsewhere in the body.

In my practice, I often see poor gut health connected to things like:

Skin problems
Headaches
Histamine reactions

Bone broth can be a gentle, nourishing way to support your gut.

Other Benefits of Bone Broth

Beyond gut health, there are several reasons many of my clients choose to include bone broth regularly:

🦴 Supports bones and joints

The collagen is protective to bones and joints, helping to provide the building blocks for strong bones and the nourishment to keep joints well-lubricated.

✨ Supports skin health

It’s a powerhouse for the skin. As the long simmering time of the bones releases various nutrients like glycine, proline, hyaluronic acid and minerals, it helps to support the skin structure, its elasticity and can help to give you a glow!

🍽 Helps keep you fuller for longer

It is rich in protein, so a useful side drink to top up protein levels and help promote satiety – keeping those snacking cravings at bay!

💧 Supports hydration

It provides electrolytes in the minerals to help hydration, so enjoy a cup of bone broth as a hydrating drink.

😴 May support better sleep

It may promote deeper more restful sleep when drinking a cup before bedtime due to the amino acid glycine.

How to Use Bone Broth

This is one of the things I love most about it; it’s incredibly versatile.

You can:

Use it as a base for soups and casseroles
Add it to cooking instead of stock
Or simply enjoy it as a warm, nourishing drink

My Easy Bone Broth Recipe

Three stages of making homemade bone broth: roasted bones, simmering stock and finished broth

You can use either chicken or beef bones for this.

Ingredients:

1kg bones
1 small onion
2 carrots, cut into small chunks
6 garlic cloves
1 celery stick cut into chunks
4 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

(The vinegar helps release minerals and collagen from the bones.)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 220ºC (200ºC fan oven/gas mark 7)
Line a baking tray with baking paper and toss all the bones in with the carrots and garlic. Roast for 30 minutes or until bones are just browned.
Tip the mixture into a large pan and add the celery, bay leaves and peppercorns. Cover with cold water, enough to cover the top of the bones.
Add the apple cider vinegar.
Bring to a boil, then add a lid and simmer very gently for 8-12 hours. The longer you cook it, the stronger the flavour.
Check occasionally to see if you can skim off any foam or fat, and to check the water levels.
Strain through a sieve, discarding the bones and vegetables, then leave to cool.

Storage:

Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days
Freeze for up to 6 months

Final Thought

If you’re feeling like your digestion isn’t quite where you’d like it to be… or you’re noticing things like skin flare-ups, fatigue, or food sensitivities…

You’re not alone. I see this every day.

Sometimes it’s not about doing everything differently. It’s about introducing small, supportive habits like this.

And if you’d like help understanding what’s going on in your body, in a way that feels calm, clear, and manageable, you’re very welcome to book a free 20-minute discovery call.

We can simply talk through what you’re experiencing and what might help.

Caroline x