Botanical Nutrition

Dr Axe, noted internet guru recently wrote the following on bone broth, “For thousands of years, there have been traditional foods like fermented vegetables and cultured dairy that have been touted for their health benefits. But one common healing food that is now being recognized — so trendy that it’s a staple of the Paleo diet and even bone broth shops exist now! — for its incredible health benefits is bone broth. Why? Because bone broth benefits are numerous and extensive.”

Dr Axe goes on to talk about the benefits of bone broth to

Treat leaky gut syndrome
Overcome food intolerances and allergies
Improve joint health
Reduce cellulite
Boost immune system

Now, all that may be well and good, but if you are a vegan, or even a pescitarian, boiling bones as part of your nutritional regimen is out of the question. Right? So is there an alternative to bone broth that is plant-based?

Earlier this year the Food Movement Co., long-running vegan functional foods company, came out with a product called Boneless Broth. The first flavor is Moringa Miso, and somewhat coincidentally with our opening quote – it is made from fermented foods and other nutrient-dense plants.  The formula combines fermented organic Soy (Miso), organic Moringa leaves and organic Dulse seaweed.

So, can this plant-based alternative address some of the problems that folks are using bone broth to try and overcome?  Some of these may be hard to tell (not aware of any clinical research on reducing cellulite with bone broth) but the benefits to the digestive, immune and other body systems from Boneless Broth will come from the nutrients packed into these fermented and raw super foods.

Moringa has been called ‘the Miracle Tree’ and is used for many many health conditions throughout the world, and most importantly as a nutritive super vegetable. Researchers writing in the journal Food Science and Human Wellness observed, “Every part of M. oleifera is a storehouse of important nutrients and antinutrients. The leaves of M. oleifera are rich in minerals like calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron and copper [2]. Vitamins like beta-carotene of vitamin A, vitamin B such as folic acid, pyridoxine and nicotinic acid, vitamin C, D and E also present in M. oleifera[8]. Phytochemicals such as tannins, sterols, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, anthraquinones, alkaloids and reducing sugar present along with anti-cancerous agents like glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, glycoside compounds and glycerol-1-9-octadecanoate.”

With all of the rich nutrition packed into Moringa, it is hardly surprising that it has been researched as a super food (functional food) to help with many different health conditions. I’ve written about Moringa for years in my blog, since the Food Movement starting importing this rare food from around the world.

The next ingredient in Boneless Broth is organic freeze-dried Miso powder. Have you ever eaten in a sushi or traditional Japanese restaurant? Chances are you’ve had Miso soup.  But did you know it has some amazing health benefits as well?

Miso owes it’s highly satisfying savory taste to the interaction between protein phytochemicals called glutamates, and their interaction with various other peptides.  In fermentation the components of the original soy bean are transformed, made digestible, and given that unique “Umami” taste.

Studies indicate that Miso may lower blood pressure through the activation of the body’s dopamine pathways, may help to prevent stroke,  and to even protect against cancer and radiation exposure.

There is a definite connection between Miso’s unique properties, the Umami taste, and the presence of unique glutamates and peptides formed by fermentation.  In addition, the savory flavor may bet activating part of our pallet and our brain that is missing when we concentrate only on salty and sweet foods.

Writing about Miso, the bone broth guru Dr Axe says this “Eating miso in its most powerful, healing form — miso soup — is an easy way to improve digestion. Beneficial probiotics found in miso help combat digestive issues caused by an imbalance in gut bacteria, including constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating and IBS. Probiotics are even beneficial for people suffering from serious conditions like food allergies, candida viruses, ulcerative colitis and leaky gut syndrome.”

So there you have it from the bone broth guru himself – Miso can help improve digestion.  Now, marketing a dietary supplement, companies can’t legally make claims like this about a product. But a Doctor, writing about whole organic foods as medicine, can feel free to make the above statement whereas a food company could not. Interesting paradox in a way, isn’t it?

It is also important that there are many different compounds in Miso formed by fermentation.  Because of the delicate probiotic nutrient nature of these plant chemicals, we recommend using HOT but not boiling water. (Boneless Broth can also be consumed cold).

Now the final ingredient in Boneless Broth is a seaweed called Dulse and it has a wonderful flavor and is loaded with minerals and even protein.  This seaweed is traditionally paired with Miso, and gives a great taste as well as an important nutritional boost.  How many of your favorite foods can you say that about? (Hopefully – lots!)

The feedback to Boneless Broth as a plant-based alternative to bone broth has been really great so far.  My hope would be that it can be so much more, in that a broad spectrum of nutrients (as presented in Moringa Miso) can provide a broad spectrum of benefit.  Look at Moringa or Miso individually and you will find research on a wide variety of health benefits from liver function, kidney function, digestive function, blood sugar balance and many stops inbetween.  What you start to see is that eating nutritive whole, fermented, raw, functional foods is an excellent strategy to protecting your most important asset – your health.  No bones about it.