Soup is not more nutritious just because it is thicker.

Chinese people have always valued nourishing soups, and chicken soup and bone broth are the most highly regarded. People are accustomed to simmering soups for long periods, believing that the longer the simmering time, the more nutritious the soup and the better the nourishing effect. This is not actually the case.

Radish and Bone Broth

The concentration of bone broth after simmering for about an hour is most suitable. At this point, the protein from the bones (which contains various amino acids) has dissolved into the broth, making it delicious. If simmered for a longer time, more fat will dissolve into the broth, and drinking too much can lead to hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis, and other conditions. If seafood, mushrooms, or animal offal are added to the bone broth and simmered for a long time, the purine content will increase, which is harmful to the body and a major taboo for those with gout. Adding green vegetables to the broth and cooking them for too long will cause the loss of nutrients, and the potassium and oxalate content in the broth will increase, raising the risk of kidney stones for patients with chronic kidney disease.

The same goes for chicken soup, which contains a high amount of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. Even if you only eat the stewed chicken and not the skin, the fat from the skin has already dissolved into the broth. Drinking rich, long-simmered chicken broth will lead to excessive intake of animal fat, which not only increases the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, leading to digestive diseases, but also raises blood lipid levels, promotes the development of atherosclerosis, and contributes to the formation of fatty liver.

Therefore, it is best to simmer the soup for about an hour. Before simmering, first crack the cleaned bones and place them in cold water, ensuring the water is added all at once once. After the water comes to a boil, you can add a little vinegar, as it helps dissolve the phosphorus and calcium from the bones into the broth. Additionally, do not add salt too early, as salt will cause the water in the meat to escape quickly, accelerating the coagulation of protein and affecting the broth's flavor. Furthermore, a pressure cooker is recommended for stewing, as it shortens the cooking time and minimizes the loss of nutrients like vitamins, while the trace elements in the bone marrow are also more easily absorbed by the body.