Yes, You Can Make A Plant-Based ‘Bone’ Broth

A wellness trend that has played a major role in the world of food for the last few years, bone broth it can be found on restaurant and cafe menus, on supermarket shelves, and even as the centerpiece of home delivery concepts. Offering both health benefits and rich flavors, this elixir can be made by boiling animal bones and connective tissues with herbs, vegetables, and other ingredients, then filtering out the solids and preserving the liquid. As the name of the drink suggests, the classic “bone broth” is based on animal products, but is it possible to reap the benefits of this nutrient-dense, sippable food if you’re committed to a bone-based diet? plants?

Chef and recipe developer Kaitlin Magno from meat phok He assures us that a plant-based “bone broth” is very feasible. “I have a ‘no bone broth’ recipe that focuses on plant extracts, herbs and vegetables,” said Magno. He agreed to share his recipe with HuffPost below, along with a helpful guide to making the best vegan-friendly version of “bone broth.”

The sudden ubiquity of bone broth (which started a few years ago and has shown no signs of slowing down) may seem a bit disconcerting to those not too familiar with food trends. According to Magno, the rise of bone broth depended on “the fact that it is packed with collagen, and most people associate it with good hair, skin, and nails.” Magno also says that bone broth proponents praise this liquid as “high protein, low carb, packed with nutrients, and a healer of the gut, joints, and any inflammation.”

So does meat-based bone broth really live up to all the hype? While broth contains collagen and plenty of vitamins and minerals (and while it’s certainly low in carbs and high in protein), steven gundryheart surgeon and pioneer in nutrition, previously explained to HuffPost that collagen actually cannot be absorbed like collagen after eating it. So drinking a collagen-rich drink to help your hair, skin, and nails doesn’t do you much good.

Magno warns against the idea of ​​bone broth as a “miracle cure.” “People are always looking for the next new superfood, magic bullet, or special diet to optimize their health,” he said. “People almost see bone broth as this ‘fountain of youth.'” However, he explains that “there is very little science-based research” behind the push to market bone broth as something more powerful than a healthy supplement to a balanced lifestyle regimen. . The bottom line is that bone broth is packed with nutrients, but it’s not a magic potion, so managing your expectations is crucial.

Magno tells us that plant-based bone broth (particularly the formula he shares below) can facilitate collagen production and provide just as many nutrients as its animal-based equivalent. “Vitamin C, polysaccharides, silica, zinc, copper, and amino acids work together to make collagen in your body. In my ‘bone’ broth, I made sure to include all the building blocks to help you make collagen,” he said.

For a more granular scientific breakdown, Magno gave us the following information: “Lemon and carrots [provide] vitamin C. Seaweeds contain polysaccharides. Shiitake mushrooms contain zinc and copper. Daikon radish contains high concentrations of silica. Nutritional yeast provides B12, which is essential in vegan diets and is also a complete protein. Being a complete protein, it provides 18 amino acids.”

If you’re concerned that a plant-based “bone broth” doesn’t offer the same depth of flavor and smooth texture as an animal bone broth, you’ll be happy to hear that Magno listens to your concerns. “Because vegan broths are made from pure vegetables, the broth tends to have a less complex flavor. The consistency also tends to be thinner. The thicker consistency of bone broth comes from the gelatin that is extracted by boiling the bones and connective tissues. In addition to gelatin, collagen also comes from bones and tissues.

While Magno acknowledges that collagen itself is not a vegan product and cannot be prepared for consumption using only plant-based ingredients, he says that he “crafted this broth with specific ingredients that increase collagen production” in the body. human. As for the texture of the broth, Magno adds nutritional yeast and agar agar powder, which comes from red algae and acts like jelly. These ingredients help give body and thickness to the broth.

To cultivate a depth of flavor, Magno includes “umami bombs” like dried mushrooms, soy sauce, marmite, and kombu (thick, dried seaweed).

If you want to try Magno’s robust and fortifying plant-based “bone broth,” this is your recipe.

Courtesy of Kaitlin Magno

• 8 cups of filtered water

• 2 handfuls of dried shiitake mushrooms

• 8 whole green onions

• 1-inch piece of ginger, cut in half lengthwise

• 1 whole head of garlic, cut in half

• 4 whole carrots, peeled and quartered

• 1 daikon radish, peeled and quartered

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon of Marmita

• 1 dried kombu leaf

• 1/4 teaspoon of agar agar powder

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• Salt to taste

1. Rinse all products very well to make sure there is no dirt. Prepare vegetables as directed above.

2. In a large pot, add all ingredients except lemon juice, sesame oil, and salt.

3. Bring the broth to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about 45 minutes.

4. Strain your broth from all the whole ingredients.

5. Add fresh lemon juice and sesame oil. Stir the broth well, then taste. Add salt if necessary.

Broth can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in a freezer-safe container.

• If you feel the broth is too salty or savory, you can add additional water to thin it out.

• To waste less, you can eat the green onion, daikon, and carrots (minus the stems) which are cooked in the broth after straining.