Bones Are Not Only For The Dogs.

Eating bones has been a tradition in many cultures for ages, including Africa. Some of us abandoned this healthy practice because we felt that others will think we are behaving primitively or we are not polished enough especially when we move to cultures that consider them waste products or food for  animals. I remember those ‘ashamo egungun’ (soft bones) included in gbegiri (bean soup) that we used to eat with tuwo (whole corn meal paste) and ewedu (jute leaves) in those days. It is now rare to find people eating such. Some of us used to look forward to bones that had been cooked in stews too.

The simple reasons for eating or snacking on bones for most people are because they are delicious and it feels good to suck on the marrow. Bone marrow is the soft fatty substance in the core of the bone.

There are various health benefits of including bone in the diet because bones contain marrow which is rich in the nutrients below:

Essential fatty acids especially omega-3 ones,

Amino acids like glycine and proline.

Vitamins.

Minerals like calcium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, magnesium, manganese.

Stem cells.

Consuming bone marrow from bones gives the following benefits:

Fights inflammation and inflammatory diseases.

Boosts the immune system which helps to fight cancer and other serious infections.

Prevents common respiratory infections.

Promotes gastrointestinal tract and healthy digestion.

Promotes healthy skin, nails and hair by supplying collagen to the body.

Heals wounds, builds cartilage and reduces and reduces bruising.

Lowers cholesterol levels, boosts eye health, protects against diabetes.

It is a common trend in the western world to consume bone broth now for health while we have been using bones to cook delicious meals for thousands of years. Apart from chicken bones and the soft cow bones we buy, there are some bony parts that can be used to cook in stews, peppersoups and broths like cow leg, cow neck, goat leg and neck, turkey wings, chicken legs, feet, neck, wings and back. Animal spines and backs also have soft bones with a lot of cartilage too.

So when next you are shopping for grocery or you are in the market, try and add some bones to your list for health. Avoid gnawing on hard bones if you do not have strong enough teeth or just stick to making broths or soups.

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