There’s nothing better than a warm hearty meal on a chilly winter’s day. Sitting down to a steaming bowl of fragrant chicken broth or some fall-off-the bone lamb shanks gives me warm and fuzzies. You too?

What if I told you that despite the flavour party that’s happening in your mouth, there are some truly amazing benefits of hitting that ‘slow’ button on your cooker and allowing your food to go at its own pace.

In our fast paced lives, there are some things that should be done slowly. And food is one of them. And not just in winter, but throughout the year, so that we can reap the rewards, regardless of the season.

Let’s take a deeper look into why this age old method of cooking is so good, and see what Nonna and Grandma have been on about this whole time.

1. Superior nutrient absorption

Because your meal is being cooked at a low temperature over an extended period of time, the process is actually pre-digesting your food for you! This means the vitamins, minerals and amino acids will absorb into your system much easier, and in higher amounts. These nutrients are so important for things like cell repair, immune function, detoxification and energy, that the more we absorb, the better we’ll function.

Slow cooking pre-digests your food, which aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

2. Gut healing

When you make a slow cooked bone broth or cook a piece of meat with the bone still in, like a lamb shoulder or shank, the amino acids release from the bone into the broth. One amino acid in particular, glutamine, is vital for helping to repair the gut lining and keep its integrity in check. A resilient gut lining is your best line of defence when it comes to warding of unwanted visitors like bacteria and parasites. Looking for a supplement to boost your immune system? Check out quercetin australia.

3. Joint and ligament health

During this process gelatin and collagen are also released in the broth. These are amazing for keeping our tendons and ligaments super strong so we can train at a high capacity with minimal risk of injury.

Slow cooking with the bone releases the amino acid glutamine, which is vital for keeping the integrity of our gut lining.

4. Healthy hair, skin and nails

Another amino acid found in slow cooked meals is proline. It’s responsible for keeping the elasticity in our skin, and our hair and nails nice and strong. So for everyone out there searching for the fountain of youth, get on the slow cooks!

5. Detoxification & DNA synthesis

Who knows what glutathione is? It’s our bodies most powerful antioxidant and slow cooks help produce it. Glycine, which is involved in glutathione production, helps add to the nutrient value of broths and slow cooks and is absolutely vital for proper digestion, as well as DNA synthesis.

It’s clear to see that slow cooking our food has some amazing health benefits. But not only that, it’s so easy. Like stupid easy. You just throw all the ingredients in a pot, cover it with the lid, and switch it on.

Job done.

This method of cooking is also great for saving time, which is a precious commodity these days. Switch it on in the morning before work, and when you get home grumpy and exhausted, there’ll be a pot of nourishing deliciousness waiting to be consumed.

You’re welcome.

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