Nature’s Plant Based "Bone Broth" with Medicinal Mushrooms

What on earth is a plant-based bone broth?

Bone broth without a doubt has many important health restorative qualities. However, not all of us eat meat. This stew has no bones in the recipe; it is totally plant based and is derived from medicinal mushrooms and nutrient rich plants. 

At home we think of medicinal mushrooms as the marrow of the earth. Thus, nature’s bone broth without the bones. Have a read and try the recipe below, share a thoughtful comment too. 

Our Empowered Brain Program recommends this plant-based broth as an integral nourishing weekly meal for general health. It is a great meal during an extended detoxification process or in place of a water-fast, especially in the cold season. The ingredients are specially selected because of their following properties:

1. Deeply nourishing - full of minerals and vitamins
2. Immune modulators for anti-inflammatory support and immune strength
3. Prebiotic support for gastrointestinal health
4. Easy to digest

Medicinal Mushrooms for Immunity and Gut Health

Prebiotics or Probiotics?

Probiotics are well known, well researched, common place and highly accessible in a wide array of consumable products. The benefits, however, are not always consistent for many people. The following metaphor may help to explain why. Each human body is like a garden with its own unique soil conditions, flora and environmental needs. Probiotics are like a generic pack of seeds, fertilizer and starter off the Walmart shelf. Using it in your garden may stimulate growth, but it does not always answer the garden’s unique environmental needs.

So, what is a prebiotic? Prebiotics are foods that selectively feed the good bacteria and starve out the bad bacteria present in the gut, optimizing microbiome health. Foods that contain soluble fiber and resistant starch serve that prebiotic role.

There are at least 50 genera of bacteria that live in the human colon. They feed on soluble fiber and resistant starch and in turn produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which are essential for maintaining an optimal environment in the digestive tract.

Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli are the most widely researched beneficial colonies in the microbiome. Selectively supporting them through targeted prebiotic nutrition helps to starve out competing harmful bacterial overgrowth. This strategy is known as prebiotic support and may even play a more important role than probiotics. Starchy “prebiotic” vegetables are those that have high levels of fructooligosaccharides, inulin and galactooligosaccharides. These components increase production potential of SCFAs to ensure large intestinal health.

Nature’s Bone Broth – ingredient list

Medicinal Mushrooms for immune support

Medicinal fungi have a rich history of traditional use in healing soups and broths. Check out our preceding article on Shiitake mushrooms. As nature’s recyclers, fungi break down complex non-toxic and toxic materials to their core elements as part of the soil forming process. The medicinal mushrooms Reishi, Lion’s Mane and Turkey Tail have significant immunomodulatory properties and are beneficial in combating harmful bacteria and viruses, autoimmune disorders and even cancer.^1-5 Likened to the marrow of the earth, these medicinal mushrooms are well placed in any deep healing or detoxification protocol.

Burdock root for minerals  and liver support

Burdock, Arctium lappa, is widely used in folk medicine for hypertension, gout, hepatitis and other inflammatory disorders. Burdock is rich in chromium, iron, magnesium, silica, thiamine and vitamin C. Typical in Japanese cuisine and even Cherokee stews, burdock is well documented in its immune strengthening and digestive properties.

A 2011 pharmacological study indicated that burdock roots have hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, free radical scavenging and cancer anti-proliferative activities.⁶ Meaning it provides liver support to perform detoxification, protects cells from oxidative stress and has properties that block cancer spread. A 2002 study demonstrated burdock’s ability to restore liver function in chronic alcohol toxicity.⁷

As a prebiotic, burdock contains inulin. As previously discussed, inulin stimulates the growth of beneficial lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.⁸ Inulin is a soluble fiber that passes through the small intestines and then ferments in the large intestine serving its special role promoting a healthy intestinal microbiome.

How to Make Your Own Mushroom Broth at Home

1. Break up the dried shiitake mushrooms, chop up the greens, roots and add them to a stew pot of boiling water.
2. Stew it for over an hour until the different ingredients begin to break apart and melt into the broth.
3. Add dried black pepper and a spoonful of turmeric powder.
4. Stir in the medicinal mushroom powders (reishi, lion’s mane and turkey tail)
5. In issues of convalescence, include overcooked unhulled barley in the broth

This is perfect for an extended detoxification process in place of a complete fast. One can serve for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Did you enjoy this article? Medicinal mushrooms play a strong role in our 12 month clinical program, read more about medicinal mushrooms here. 

Disclaimer. The information represented in this article is meant to provide concepts from evidence based research. It is not intended to treat or diagnose any health condition. For appropriate treatment methods please contact your healthcare provider.