Gut Healthy Mineral Rich Veggie Broth + Recipe

Gut Healthy Mineral Rich Veggie Broth + Recipe

Can veggie broth really give you the same gut healing benefits as bone broth?

Chances are if you are reading this, you might be dealing with your own gut based issues. Maybe you are a vegetarian or vegan and are hoping to find a plant based solution to your ailments. Is it possible to heal your gut with mineral rich veggie broth? Yes, it is. However, most likely you will need to supplement it in order to get the necessary essential proteins your body needs to heal and seal your gut. Of course, everything is rooted in bio-individuality, how severe your gut based issues are and how quickly you want to heal. In this article, I will go into detail on the differences between the infamously touted bone broth for gut health and the gut healthy mineral rich veggie broth recipe which I have listed at the end of this blog.

What are gut based issues?

This is an interesting question and one that I feel definitely could use some clarification.

Gut based issues are not just localized in the gut, they can appear as symptoms anywhere in or on the body.

Gut based issues are often commonly thought of as only existing in the gut. Diagnoses such as leaky gut, SIBO, gut dysbiosis, and candida are a few of the diseases more commonly talked about today. The scope of gut issues, however, extends far beyond. They express themselves in a wide range of symptoms which can be anything from joint pain, arthritis, brain fog, skin conditions, digestive disorders, depression, anxiety, poor sleep, fatigue; you name it, the list goes on and on.

Is it possible to heal your gut on a vegan and vegetarian based diet alone?

Yes, it’s possible but even the best most mineral rich ‘gut healing’ veggie broth lacks some of the bioavailable proteins that are essential for healing and sealing the gut wall.

Let’s talk collagen

What is it and where does it come from?

Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the body, making up about 25-35% of a person’s total protein. Its fibers are a combination of two amino acids; hydroxylysine and, hydroxyproline. (1) (2)

The majority of cartilage in the body is composed of collagen; nose, ears, intervertebral disks, tendons, and ligaments. (1)

Joint pain anyone? Collagen could be a great place to start where you can begin to find relief.

Collagen is also necessary for healthy skin, connective tissues, and of course, the reason you are most likely reading this, gut health!

Collagen is derived from animals only. You cannot get collagen from plant based sources. (3)

Collagen is produced naturally in the body, so it is not necessary to take it as a supplement, unless of course, you have a deficiency. Ailments, as discussed above, could be a manifestation of not having enough essential proteins such as collagen to continue cell repair and growth.

What causes collagen deficiency?

There are a number of reasons one could become deficient in collagen. Anything from environmental toxins (the products we put on our skin, clean our house with, pollutants in our air, water, and chemicals in our food), to inadequate amounts of nutrient intake, can be contributing factors. Vitamin C and adequate amounts of protein are necessary for collagen formation. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that scavenges free radicals in the body which tend to break down collagen. Some high natural sources of vitamin C are found in citrus fruits, strawberries, guavas, kiwis and rose hips. (3)

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that scavenges free radicals in the body which tend to break down collagen. Some high natural sources of vitamin C are found in citrus fruits, strawberries, guavas, kiwis and rose hips. (3)

Two proteins; lysine and proline are also necessary for collagen formation. Animal proteins contain the most concentrated and bioavailable form of lysine. Proline and lysine are abundantly found in meat, fish, eggs, and as long as one has adequate amounts of HCL (hydrochloric acid) these proteins are easily bioavailable. Lysine is available in vegetarian sources such as legumes and some grains, however, it is not often as bio-available and you need to eat more in order to get the necessary amount. Wheatgerm, avocado, and oats are all high sources of proline. (3) (4)

It is absolutely possible for vegetarians to get adequate amounts of protein, however, there are a few challenges that are often overlooked.

#1 Protein combing– This is extremely important when it comes to meeting our bodies’ needs for all essential amino acids. Eating a wide variety of foods and combination of grains, legumes, and beans every day is essential for ensuring our daily needs are met.

#2 Eating enough– Despite what most people think, the vegetarian diet can actually be quite filling. There have been countless times I have put a plate of vegetarian food in front of a meat eater and they thought there was no way it would be enough, but halfway through their plate they were full. The vegetarian diet is high in fiber and fiber is indeed filling. The challenge is on eating enough and of the right combination and differentiation consistently in order to get your adequate protein needs.

Now, it is true that many of us believe we need a lot more protein than we actually do. The protein needs for each person are different depending on how physically active they are and their bio-individuality. Roughly 0.8g of protein per kg of weight is sufficient. (5)

#3 Adequate stomach acid production– This is something that happens quite often for people who are on a vegetarian and vegan diet, yet it’s also hardly talked about. HCL stands for hydrochloric acid, which contains the enzymes that are mainly used to break down protein. When someone lowers their amount of protein intake they also lower their HCL. If your HCL gets too low, you will not have enough enzymes to digest and assimilate your protein, therefore, you will not be able to properly obtain all the nutrients from your food. This also puts excess stress on the rest of the digestive tract and if it occurs for a long period of time this can cause nutrient deficiencies, eventually leading to gut based issues. You can learn more about this topic here and take an easy at-home test to see if you have enough HCL. Vegetarian or not, this is an all too common problem for many people.

Let me be clear by stating I have a neutral stance on both meat eating and vegetarianism. I believe that if done with the right knowledge and application, you can be healthy on a wide variety of diets. I personally come from a vegetarian background of about 7 years. Having had to deal with my own gut based issues, as well as seeing what commonly shows up in my clients, the intention of this article is to provide less talked about and valuable information so each person can make the best choices when it comes to health. For more information on my personal journey from being vegetarian to eating meat, you can read this blog here.

Going GLUTEN-FREE can help you reduce inflammation, increase energy and heal your body's symptoms. Join the path to feeling your BEST you and take the GLUTEN-FREE 7-Day Challenge!

Want to heal your gut based issues the veggie way?

There are many practices one can begin in order to heal their gut. One of which I

have found incredibly helpful for both myself and my clients is doing a green juice and broth fast. This helps to take the stress off the digestive system by limiting the number of undigested proteins available to potentially leak into the bloodstream. This protocol is a foundational part of my #DetoxNotDiet ‘System Reset’ Protocol which you can find more about here.

I highly suggest trying bone broth as a natural, quick and effective way to heal and seal the gut. However, if you want to stick to the vegetarian way, it is possible and below I have provided one of my mineral rich recipes you can use to begin your healing process today.

Supplementation is necessary

In order to obtain the specific proteins which are particularly useful for sealing the gut, supplementation is generally necessary. Supplementing with a natural form of collagen is a great way to get these proteins. Yet if you don’t want to ingest collagen (which if you are avoiding it for animal based reasons, it is most likely you do not), then supplementing a bio-available for zinc such as carnosine or picolinate as well as L-glutamine are two of the supplements I highly recommend; quercetin can also be helpful as well.

Zinc helps to increase immune function, aids in wound healing and helps to rebuild and repair skin cells. Therapeutic supplementation recommendations can be found here. (6) (8) (9)

L-glutamine is a protein necessary for rebuilding the gut wall as it is a major source of energy for proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells in the intestines. It is used for protein synthesis.It also increases metabolism and can aid in muscle repair. (7) Therapeutic supplementation recommendations can be found here & here.

Quercitine suppresses histamine in the gut with can help with inflammation and the healing process. Therapeutic supplementation recommendations can be found here. (10)

*Please note the recommendations in this article should be discussed with your doctor. As with all things, bio-individuality is key when it comes supplementation.

Gut Healthy Mineral Rich Veggie Broth Recipe

1 large carrot

2 large celery stalks

1 small onion peel on

3 garlic cloves

3 strips of Kombu seaweed (about 2 inches wide)

5 pepper corns

1 small sweet potato

1 small fennel

Small handful of parsley

2 tbs coconut oil

Salt to taste

1/2 lime (at the end)

Any other veggies scraps: 1/2 head cauliflower, 1 broccoli stock, carrot peels

Directions:

1.) Wash and chop all veggies

2.) Fill a large pot with veggies and cover with water

3.) Bring to a boil and then simmer for 2.5 hours

4.) Strain vegetables from broth

5.) Sprinkle with chopped parsley or celery

6.) An option to get fancy: Drink it cold out of a martini glass garnished with lime

If you want to see more recipes like this as well as other valuable information and ways to enhance your vitality I invite you to join the online cOMmunity on FB @ The #FoodthatFuels Movement!

Love & Light,

Amanda Biccum #TheGutGal

Original article and pictures take amandabiccum.com site