Mother nature is clever. Foods that are good for you often look like the body part they most support. There are tons of examples of this: carrots for eyes, walnuts for the brain, and bones for bones!
Bones? Yes, bones. Bones contain all of the minerals from the bone, cartilage, and marrow. Calcium is, of course, one of them but it also contains other minerals such as magnesium, sodium, and potassium that are also needed for strong bones. This provides the right balance because too much calcium without other vitamins and minerals is not healthy.
There are two ways to get these minerals. The first is with a bone broth. (See recipe for Bone Broths here.) Bone broths are a great base for soups and sauces and can also be used to cook rice, grains or beans instead of water. (This is a great way to get some extra nutrients into picky children or adults!) And the second is eating the bone itself. Some fish provide an excellent source of bones because their bones are so small – that once well-cooked become soft enough to be edible. Even chicken bones (the small pieces) can become soft enough to eat – like the wingtips or drumstick ends. These are great to “gnaw” on.
My favorite bone is from canned salmon (with bones) because it’s so easy. You can simply add some to a mixed green salad –- or maybe make a Salmon Nicoise Salad. But I must warn you…it doesn’t look pretty. The skin and the visible bones take some getting use to. For the squeamish, I recommend making something like. . . salmon cakes. You won’t notice any of the bones are there, I promise!
I am hosting a workshop on Friday, February 15th in Larkspur, CA with Marion Kregeloh of Marin Movement Center called Bones Fit: Linking Exercise and Nutrition to Healthy Bones. Marion is a physical therapist and Feldenkrais practitioner who specializes in osteoporosis. There will be lots of good information and recipes too! Hope to see you there!