Pacific Bone Broth is a traditional sipping broth made from organic chicken bones.

I have always made my own chicken broth for two reasons:

1. You can’t beat the taste of homemade chicken broth
2. You have total control over the ingredients and don’t have to worry about secret ingredients that may really be MSG (like natural flavors, spices, yeast extract, etc.)

In fact, I have written in the past that I have never seen a chicken broth with pure enough ingredients for me to serve our family — that included organic labels. And I never thought I would.

Food is the main source of medicine in our family. So it is important to eat foods that are wholesome and nourishing and contain nothing that can harm the body. And bone broth is a healing delight. Here is some important information about bone broth in general. I’ll talk more about Pacific Bone Broth later.

Bone Broth Benefits.

According to Dr. Axe, bone broth has the power to [1]:

• Heal the digestive tract
• Help the body overcome food allergies
• Improve the health of your joints
• Reduce cellulite
• Super charge the immune system

In addition, bone broth contains a hefty amount of naturally occurring collagen, a protein that helps provide glowing skin, strong nails, and beautiful hair. Bone broth is also high in glutathione, an anti-oxidant that helps many cellular functions throughout your body. Read more about glutathione here. And as an added benefit, bone broth is high in protein and low in calories, making it the perfect diet food.

Make Your Own.

You can easily make your own bone broth the Sally Fallon method. Here are some recipes from Weston A. Price: Broth is Beautiful. Just be sure you are using the right chicken. Pastured organic chicken is the best. Read more about chicken here.  I’ll share my own recipe later.

Supplements?

Or you can buy Bone Broth Supplements  to get some of the benefits. But why would you want to take something in a powder or pill when God has given us the real thing?

Costo Carries Pacific Bone Broth.

I found my first box of Pacific Bone Broth at my local Costco and was delighted that it did not contain any of the suspect ingredients that were in every other box of broth I had seen.  It only had these ingredients: Chicken stock (water, chicken), onion, cider vinegar, and rosemary extract. In my excitement, I wrote the original version of this blog post praising Pacific Bone Broth. But…the last time I checked the ingredient list, I was shocked. I had been leading my readers astray.

I Was Wrong.

I had thought that  I could have healthy, life-giving bone broth anytime I want without taking the time to make it myself.

Purchasing a case of Pacific Organic Chicken Bone Broth for about $18.99 at my local Costco was less than 80 cents a cup. Other retailers made it easy to purchase Pacific Bone Broth too. Find a retailer near you. So it was easily available for purchase. Here is a list of some of the benefits they boasted about their own product:

• One cup has 9 grams of protein and only 45 calories
• No added salt
• Slow simmered
• Ready-to-drink or use in your favorite recipe
• Certified gluten free
• Only five ingredients (which are all organic): Chicken stock (water, chicken), onion, cider vinegar, and rosemary extract.

The Reality.

Having known all this positive information about Pacific Bone Broth, you can imagine how devastated I was recently after reading the ingredients list and noting that it had changed in the worse way possible. Now the Pacific Bone Broth contained the dreaded ingredient: SPICES.

I am all for wonderful life-giving spices. They are some of the most nutrient dense foods available. For example, rosemary extract is a spice. Pepper. Salt. Thyme. But when a label contains the elusive ingredient “spice” or “spices” it can mean anything. And inevitably it is a hidden form of MSG — even though Pacific claims they do not add MSG to their bone broth. But is that true? Technically yes. Even if their “spices” are high in MSG, they can lawfully claim that they do not add MSG.

I choose to purchase that which I know is true (or at least is labelled to be so).

So, unfortunately, unless Pacific Bone Broth tells me exactly which spices they are using (or removes that ingredient), I will no longer be using nor promoting Pacific Bone Broth. Of course this saddens me. And I am once again back to making my own. But I’d rather take the time to make my own broth than have the potential to put harmful ingredients into my body. MSG is a neurotoxin that is linked to all kinds of neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. [2]

Update.

I’ve received a number of emails concerning this article. Some seek to correct me for falsely accusing Pacific Foods of using MSG in their Organic Bone Broth. I’ve never made that claim. I’ve only asked for honesty in labeling.

Presently, Pacific makes the following claim on their website about the ingredient “spices”: “The spices do not contain, among other things, GMO’s, MSG, hydrolyzed proteins, and that any of the typical allergens have been disclosed [sic]. While we are unable to provide the exact spices natural [sic] due to the proprietary nature of our recipes, if you have questions regarding specific spice sensitivities please let us know.”

While this information seems useful, it is not enough to provide me the peace of mind to eat Pacific Bone Broth on a consistent basis. What is so “proprietary” about spices, when this ingredient was not in the original recipe?

And if their “spices” are so proprietary, why would Pacific disclose to a reader who recently reached out to me that these “spices” are actually Savory and Bay Leaf?

If that is the proprietary blend, why not just disclose it instead of leaving consumers guessing? Is it proprietary or is it “savory” and “bay leaf”?

If they change the label to show the latter, I might start using Pacific Bone Broth once again.

On to other issues about Pacific Bone Broth.

Flavor Needs Help.

If you choose Pacific Bone Broth despite my warnings, do note that the flavor is in need of some help. This is because there is no salt added. But it is easy to spruce it up with some himalayan sea salt, garlic granules, and black pepper.

I try to have about a cup of bone broth every day. Some of my favorite things to do with the bone broth:

• Use it to slow cook my black beans
• Just sip it
• Make a quick soup by adding seasonings and fresh vegetables (arugula is one of my favorite additions)
• Use it to cook quinoa and other grains
• Add it to just about any recipe that calls for stock

Not as Thick as Traditional Bone Broth.

An additional weakness in Pacific Bone Broth is that it is not as thick as a traditional bone broth. This could mean you will not be getting the high amounts of collagen that you would in a thick gelatinized version. Pacific claims that it is not gelatinous due to a high heating process which denatures the proteins. This is perhaps another reason to make your own.

One way around this is to add 1 scoop of Perfect Supplement 100% Grass-Fed Bovine Gelatin. This is another food product, not a traditional supplement. At Reformed Health we promote nutrition from food first. Supplements should only be used as extra-credit — and then only if they are whole food supplements. Grass-fed Bovine Gelatin is available at Perfect Supplements or Amazon. Click the links to see which has the best price.

A Better Option.

I have found a simple way to make my own bone broth.

Step one: Make Cheater’s Chicken Stock.

Step two: Debone the chicken and use in another dish. Place the bone and remaining parts back in the stock pot and add a fresh water as needed. Add salt, garlic, and pepper to taste. (You can also add some veggies if you wish.)

Step three: Add a tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar and simmer on the stove or in your crockpot for 12-24 hours.

Step four: Remove from heat and discard bones. Strain stock through fine mesh sieve and enjoy.

You can use it immediately, refrigerate it, or freeze some for later.

Daily Dose of Broth.

Because of the life-giving benefits of bone broth, I try to eat some every day. And since I have added bone broth to my regular regime, I have definitely noticed an improvement in my skin and hair. Now that I can’t use Pacific Bone Broth, I have to work harder to get it — but it is worth it. I am so thankful that God has provided us with so many ways to improve our health naturally.

He designed food to be the main source of our physical nourishment — let’s take advantage of His provision.

Shopping Convenience.

If you are still convinced that you’d like to buy Pacific Bone Broth, you can find an online retailer here: click here for tons of options at great prices. It is also available in beef and turkey flavors.

And finally, Thrive Market carries Pacific Bone Broth at prices below retail. Thrive Market is a membership site similar to Costco, but online and health focused. Switching to Thrive has been an important money saving choice for many. Read more about Thrive here.

How ever you get your bone broth — start drinking it today. Of course, I recommend making your own. Your body will thank you.

I have not been paid to share my experiences with Pacific Bone Broth, Costco, or Thrive Market. I like it this way because I am free to share from my own vantage point. However, if you purchase something through a link on this page, I may earn a small commission. You pay nothing more, and I get to keep writing about health.

 

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[1]https://draxe.com/the-healing-power-of-bone-broth-for-digestion-arthritis-and-cellulite/

[2] http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/21/msg-is-this-silent-killer-lurking-in-your-kitchen-cabinets.aspx

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Reformed Health exists so you can take control of your own health and be all that God has designed you to be. The information shared on Reformed Health is the sole opinion of the author and is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness. None or our claims have been evaluated by the FDA or any other government organization. We are not medical doctors, nor do we have any medical doctors on staff. If you are having a health emergency, please call 911, contact your doctor, or visit a local emergency room. Always consult your doctor before engaging in any new exercise regime.

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Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

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© 2017 Mischelle Sandowich
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