Nutritional content of stock

[Fat Guy]

I've been reading for years that if you make and then defat a stock you've created what is essentially a calorie-free food. And if you look on the packaging for those prepared stocks that come in the aseptic cardboard cartons, the nutrition-facts section will say 10 calories per cup and 0 grams of saturated fat (plus a ton of sodium). Yet, we are told often that stock is nourishing, the best thing for the common cold, etc., and of course we also know that it has great flavor and thickening properties for sauce-making.

So this leads me to wonder: what, exactly, is in stock? It's not meat. It's not fat. But it kind of tastes like both. Nutrition experts please explain this miracle food.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'd think the main nutritional element of stock would be protein from gelatin.

[rooftop1000]

It looks like calcium, protein, and B vitamins

http://www.appliedhealth.com/nutri/page15463.php

tracey

[Kent Wang]

How are you defatting? If you just chill and remove the solidified fat layer on top, that might not get out all of it as the fat can become dissolved (emulsified?) into the body of the stock so that it won't separate. You have to skim off the top with a spoon as it's cooking.

I don't bother with that though. Chilling and separating is just so much easier.