BY SANDRA GUY

Nothing could be heartier on a cold winter’s night than bone broth. Just don’t confuse it with soup or a canned broth.

No, this is an ancient type of nutrient-rich food made from the remnants of fish, pork, veal, lamb, cattle or poultry.

Animal parts that can’t be eaten, such as feet, bones, skin, tendons, knuckles, ligaments, bone marrow and joint cartilage are boiled in water and simmered on low heat for 48 to 72 hours.

Take care not to add salt.

Also, avoid high sodium store-bought broth or stock, which may be made with lab-produced flavored bouillon cubes and may contain MSG, also known as monosodium glutamate, which is the sodium salt of glutamic acid.

Instead, health experts recommend shopping online for bone broth supplements made from organic sources, or shop for bone broth ingredients directly from a butcher or a farmer’s market, opting for organic ingredients and grass-fed meat if possible.

After ensuring you have the healthiest source of bone broth, you may want to add wine, vinegar or lemon juice to help break down the bones to extract the nutrients. This helps produce a protein-rich broth.

The result? Lots of good-for-you ingredients in your broth, such as glucosamine, which helps keep cartilage healthy; amino acids from collagen and gelatin; minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus; glycosaminoglycans, which help regulate cellular growth.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and those at risk of bleeding, including before surgery, should refrain from taking glucosamine.

Collagen in bone broth helps build lean muscle mass by boosting the production of amino acids in your body, helping your muscles repair and grow faster. It also helps decrease joint pain by reducing inflammation.

But remember that the best source of essential vitamins and minerals is a healthy diet.

The latest guidelines call for seafood rather than processed meats; fiber-rich whole grains rather than refined grains; two cups each week of legumes, fiber- and protein-rich foods such as edamame and black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans; and two-and-a-half cups each week of vegetables — and rather than French fries, that means beets, celery, onions, cauliflower, eggplant and Brussels sprouts.