Gut Healing & Immune Boosting Broth

Compared to stock, broth is cooked from bones only for a longer cooking duration and hence is higher in histamine levels. Start with a small amount to see how your digestion reacts to it.

Chicken broth is one of the most important foods to provide nutrient density and it enhances digestion and heals the gut and strengthens your immunity. Chicken broth is high in all macro and micro nutrients and helps with protein utilisation. Due to its sweet flavour, chicken broth enhances any food that it is added to such as soups, sauces, dahl, curries, stews and even smoothies.

 
Chicken stock.jpg

Ingredients

  • 1-2 chicken carcasses

  • 14 cups filtered water

  • 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar (AVC)

  • 2 large bay leaves

  • 1-inch fresh ginger, peeled & sliced

  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds

  • 1 tsp turmeric powder or grated turmeric root

  • 1 tbsp of seaweed (e.g. dulse flakes, wakame cut in stipes)

  • 1 leek or onion, chopped

  • 1 large carrot or 2 small ones, chopped

  • 1 large celery stalk or 3 small ones, chopped

  • 10 parsley sprigs

Method

Slow Cooker

Put all the ingredients into a larger slow cooker. Cover with the lid and set on “Low” to cook for 8-10 hours. Let it cool and strain through a large metal sieve into a larger pot. Then transfer the cooled broth into a large glass jar and store in the fridge for up to a week or pour into smaller containers and store in the freezer.

Stove Top

Rinse the chicken carcass, feet and neck in filtered water. Place them into a large pot with the apple cider vinegar and cover with water. Allow the pot and its contents to stand for 30 minutes, giving the apple cider vinegar time to draw minerals out of the bones. Bring to a boil. Skim the scum and discard. Reduce the heat to a low-simmer, then add remaining ingredients. Cover with a lid and just leave a very small opening for the steam. Cook for 8 hours.

If you are using a slow cooker just add all the ingredients and switch to “Low”, add the lid and let it cook for 8-10 hours.

Add parsley during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Cool the stock to room temperature, strain and then place in a glass jar to store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively, the stock can be stored in airtight containers or in ice-cube trays (which allows for smaller portion sizes to be used) in the freezer for up to 3 months.