In Victorian times, diners prized bone marrow—but today, we toss it in the trash. In this post, I’ll tell you why rediscovering this yummy food can make you healthier and help you take off extra pounds.

If you love to go antiquing, chances are you’ve run across the little spoons called marrow spoons. In Victorian times, it was all the rage to serve an appetizer of bone marrow, which diners scooped out of the bones with these tiny spoons. Queen Victoria herself indulged in bone marrow every day.

Well, guess what: This wasn’t just a snooty upper-class trend. It was also incredibly healthy, because bone marrow is packed with nutrients ranging from iron and vitamin K to immune-stimulating lipids called alkyglycerols. (This is why wild animals will actually eat the marrow from their prey’s bones before eating the meat—and it’s why cave people smashed bones to get to the marrow.)

And here’s another benefit to indulging in a bone marrow appetizer before a meal: It can help you lose weight! It takes time to scoop that rich, luscious marrow out of a bone, and this slow pleasure—along with the deep, deep nutrition you get from the marrow—will take the edge off your hunger. By the time you reach your main course, you’ll eat less and still feel satisfied.

If you’ve never roasted marrow bones before, it’s simple. Here’s a recipe from my book, Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet

When you select marrow bones, remember that it’s easier to scoop out the marrow if the bones are larger. (However, you can still manage it if they’re small.) If your grocery store doesn’t offer marrow bones, ask your butcher to order them for you.

Oh, and don’t worry: You don’t need a marrow spoon to enjoy this treat. Any small spoon—for instance, a demitasse spoon or even a baby spoon—will do the trick.

By the way, if you’re still iffy about trying this delicious food, and Queen Victoria’s thumbs-up isn’t good enough for you, consider that Anthony Bourdain—one of the world’s most renowned food critics—calls this bone marrow appetizer his “death row meal” because if he had to choose a last meal, this would be it. How’s that for an endorsement?

But here’s my advice: Don’t save bone marrow for your last meal. Give this nutritious, melt-in-your-mouth food a try right now, and I’m betting that you’ll fall in love and want to serve it all the time. In fact, you may even find yourself buying your own set of Victorian marrow spoons!

Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!