Herbal Sipping Broth

An herbal sipping broth is an easy, but often overlooked, way to integrate vitamins, macro-minerals, trace minerals, and antioxidants in your diet. If you find it hard to meet your daily fluid intake with plain water, a sipping broth could be a flavorful addition to your self-care routine. Full of potassium, calcium, magnesium and iodine, this broth recipe is electrolyte balancing helping you stay hydrated. Beyond hydration, this broth has many health benefits including supporting bone, gut and joint health along with promoting better digestion and boosting the immune system.

INGREDIENTS

Beef Bones: bone broth is the base of this recipe with vegetables & herbs added to provide a nutrient dense tonic for the body. Containing calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, gelatin and collagen, bone broth can help with leaky gut syndrome and protect non-leaky guts, healing and sealing the digestive tract. (Wnorowski) Collagen provides structural support to skin, bones, joints, tendon, and cartilage, helping with joint pain and stiffness.(Thomme)

Carrots: One cup of carrots can provide 100% of your daily target intake of vitamin A. This important vitamin is a cell-protective antioxidant that is provided by alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which has been tied to a reduced risk of several cancers. Another antioxidant within carrots that has shown reduced cancer activity is lycopene. An antioxidant rich vegetable, carrots also contain lutein, which has given the carrot its reputation for supporting healthy vision. This same antioxidant supports brain function as well. Phenolic compounds and potassium in carrots have the potential to reduce cardiovascular diseases and also help maintain normal blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. (Sass)

Celery: Containing potassium and phthalides, celery regulates blood pressure and helps lower cholesterol. Comprised of antioxidants like luteolin, this common vegetable can help prevent inflammation in the brain and body. (Gupta) High in vitamin K, bone health is supported as well. Celery is low in calories and high in fiber, which such the microbiome of the digestive tract.

Shiitake Mushrooms: scientifically proven to be antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer/antitumor, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, anti-cholesterol, antioxidative, antiaging, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulatory (Ahmad)

Onion: High in vitamin C, onions help regulate your immune health, collagen production, and iron absorption. It's also a powerful antioxidant that could help protect your cells from unstable, damaging molecules called free radicals. Onions are rich in B vitamins, including folate and vitamin B6. (Kubala)

Garlic: Garlic contains allicin, which acts as an antibiotic. Benefits include anti-inflammatory properties, lowers blood pressure, helps lower cholesterol levels, regulates blood sugar levels, boost the immune system, anti-parasitic, antioxidant rich and has shown a role in reducing cancers.

Ginger: Research indicates that ginger root enhances immune function, promotes the secretion of bile and gastric fluids, and increases blood circulation by inhibiting platelet aggregation. It is a potent anti-inflammatory, and studies show it is as effective as ibuprofen for reducing the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. Fresh ginger is also a potent antiviral and antibacterial, helpful for treating the flu & cold. (Horne & Easley)

Turmeric: One of the few anti-inflammatories that cross the blood-brain barrier, studies have shown its effectiveness for inflammation-induced depression. Known for easing chronic pain, it is also a good liver & gallbladder remedy, aiding liver function and helping to dissolve and prevent gallstones. ( Horne & Easley)

Kombu Seaweed: This Atlantic seaweed dries near black and is loaded with minerals, vitamins, and trace elements. Kombu is appreciated for its high levels of iodine, calcium, potassium, iron, carotene, and B vitamins. It contains glutamic acid which imparts a mellow, silky taste to the broth.

Astragalus Root: Adaptogenic & tonic herb used in herbalism to boost energy and strengthen immunity, it also has anti-inflammatory, antiviral and hypotensive properties.

Nettle: a nourishing herbal food, rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, protein and other nutrients. Nettles help to build healthy blood, bones, joints and skin.

Rosemary: Contains antioxidants that protect the brain and blood vessels. In herbalism rosemary is known to have antidepressant, antirheumatic, antiseptic, carminative, and expectorant properties as well.

Thyme: Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, aromatic, carminative, decongestant, emmenagogue and circulatory stimulant

For the best source of Kombu Seaweed, visit www.ironboundisland.com 

DIRECTIONS

In a large stock pot, add:

3-5lbs of beef bone (preferably marrow bones)

and cover with water, filling the stock pot halfway. Continue to add:

2 roughly chopped carrots

2 roughly chopped celery stalks

1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms

1 onion, quartered

medium sized piece of fresh, peeled ginger

one fresh, peeled turmeric rhizome

5 crushed garlic cloves

2 pieces of Kombu seaweed

1/4 cup dried astragalus root

1 cup of dried nettle

1 large sprig of fresh rosemary

A large handful of fresh thyme

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer with lid off, allowing broth to gently infuse and concentrate for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, check to make sure your bones are completely clean, that the marrow and cartilage has turned to gelatin and integrated into the broth thoroughly.

Now strain through a fine-mesh sieve, resulting in a rich herbal sipping broth. At this point, taste to see if salt & pepper is needed as the seaweed imparts iodine and you should only add salt after tasting.

I like to pour half of the broth into a mason jar and place it in the fridge to drink within the next 3-5 days. I pour the other half into ice cube trays to freeze, then move to a gallon freezer bag. This way when my family or myself is in need of an herbal pick-me-up, I simply pop a couple broth cubes into a thermos and top with boiling water, add pinch of sea salt (the broth has now been diluted) and a squeeze of lemon.

A warm cup of broth can be an easy way to incorporate herbs, minerals and vitamins in your diet while supporting your hydration & electrolyte levels. Not a meal replacement, but certainly that “second cup of coffee” replacement; fueling your day without a 4pm caffeine crash, and providing your body with necessary nutrients from whole foods instead of artificial supplements.

Herbalism in the kitchen.  POV, my 3-year old son

WORKS CITED

Wnorowski, Dr. Thomas. “Bone Broth for Gut Health: Is It Really Everything Your Body Needs to Heal?” BodyBio, BodyBio, 18 Aug. 2023, bodybio.com/blogs/blog/bone-broth-for-gut-health.

Thomme, Gina Van. “Is Bone Broth Good for You?” MD Anderson Cancer Center, www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/is-bone-broth-good-for-you. Accessed 29 Sept. 2024.

Cynthia Sass, MPH. “8 Health Benefits of Carrots.” Health, Health, 30 June 2023, www.health.com/nutrition/health-benefits-of-carrots.

Gupta, Dr. Siddharth. “8 Health Benefits of Eating Celery.” PharmEasy Blog, 18 Sept. 2024, pharmeasy.in/blog/8-health-benefits-of-eating-celery.

Ahmad a, et al. “Therapeutic Values and Nutraceutical Properties of Shiitake Mushroom (Lentinula Edodes): A Review.” Trends in Food Science & Technology, Elsevier, 9 Mar. 2023, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224423000821.

Kubala, Jillian. “9 Impressive Health Benefits of Onions.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 20 July 2023, www.healthline.com/nutrition/onion-benefits.

Horne, Steven, and Thomas Easley. The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine Making Guide. Pg. 236, North Atlantic Books, 2016.