Bieler's Broth: Liver Cleansing soup in a white mug

Bieler’s Broth: Liver Cleansing & Kidney Calming

What is Bieler’s Broth?

Today I like to share an incredibly healing and very easily digestable soup recipe with you called ‘Bieler’s Broth’. This very nourishing and healing ‘Bieler’s broth’ is superb for cleansing the liver whilst also being very soothing for the kidneys.

First of all it’s name comes from a doctor named Bieler who inveted the soup in order to restore an acid-alkaline and sodium-potassium balance to organs and glands. Especially the sodium-loving adrenal glands which often suffer severly under stress.

The soup is vegan and all vegetable-based. It is not a culinary soup, so it can be a little bland for people who are used to flavourful spicings of their soups. However, it’s tasty enough that you can eat it a few days in a row and thus is super suitable for cleanses and detox diets.

The broth is also very supportive for liver function — remember that the liver is our detoxifying organ.

Bieler’s broth contains zucchini and string beans, which are rich sources of organic potassium and sodium. The liver uses those elements to clean and revitalize the body. Occasionally, when you’re sick, the best thing to do is not eat and let the body heal. Digestion takes a lot of energy.  Instead, drink Dr. Bieler’s healing broth recipe for energy, weight loss, and cleansing.

Background: Dr. Bieler would take a detailed study of his patients’ endocrine glands. This includes the adrenal glands, pituitary gland and the thyroid gland. Dr. Bieler would then prescribe a limited diet, or even a fast on Bieler’s broth. The vegetables were cooked and easy to digest, full of vitamins and restore such elements as potassium and sodium to our glands. Dr. Bieler was particularly interested in restoring the liver.

What else ?

Dr. Bieler believed that most folks eat excessive amounts of proteins. He said that milk and eggs lose their nutritional value after being pasteurized/cooked, and that meat cooked to temperature above rare becomes hard to digest. According to him, salt is a stimulant providing only a temporary sensation of well-being, and over consumption is detrimental to health. The best way to obtain necessary sodium is from plants (vegetables), not addition of salt. He gave a number of examples of disease-free cultures that do not have access to salt.

ayurveda

Feeling Vata: This soup might be a little light for you, sensitive Vata, as there’s no oils or added fats in this detox recipe. However if you’re on a cleanse and if not eaten for longer periods than 3 days, this soup can work well for you on a detox or cleanse if the overall detox programm is well thought out and stabilising to your system.

Feeling Pitta:  This soup works really well for you, go for it!

Feeling Kapha:  Perfect soup for a kapha cleanse, go for it!

Healing Recipe

Bieler’s Broth: Liver Cleansing & Kidney Calming Soup

Bieler's Broth: Liver Cleansing green soup in a glass jar

Bieler’s Broth: Liver Cleansing & Kidney Calming Soup

The soup is vegan and all vegetable-based. It is not a culinary soup, so it can be a little bland for people who are used to flavourful spicing of their soups. However, it’s tasty enough that you can eat it a few days in a row and thus super suitable for cleanses and detox diets.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Cleansing
Servings 4 person

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium zuchinis
  • 450 g string beans
  • 2 stalks cellery chopped
  • 1 bunch parsley chopped
  • 4 cups water

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to the boil. Skim any foam off the surface.
  • Lower the heat and simmer, covered.
  • Cook the vegetables until the are tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Take off the heat and then puree the soup in the pot with a hand-held blender.
  • Serve warm, sprinkled with a little bit of fresh parsley on top if you like.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

You can experiment by adding fresh kale(or other fresh, leafy greens of your choice) to your soup. For this, chop some kale and add it into the soup towards the end of your cooking time.
Keyword adrenal healing, adrenals, ayurveda, bielers, broth, detox, dosha, Liver healing, Liver-Cleansing, simple, Soup, Vegan


Beetroot Borscht

Vegan Borscht: Anti-Inflammatory & Liver Protecting

Vegan Borscht

This modern, vegan version of a traditional classic borscht is super flavourful, warming and brimming with anti-inflammatory properties.

What is Borscht?

Borscht! Borscht! Borscht! What’s not to like about this so very flavourful, earthy and deeply fullfilling spectactle of a soup? Traditionally made with beetroot, potatoes and some form of beef stock, borscht is a classic kitchen recipe associated with the cuisine of eastern and central Europe (especially Russia, Poland, and the Ukraine). Here we will cook a delicious vegan version of this all-time hearty favourite.

What is beetroot food for?

Beetroot is good for the liver:

They contain antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, and iron. These compounds help protect the liver from inflammation and oxidative stress while enhancing its ability to remove toxins from the body. Beets’ juice has traditionally been used as a remedy to activate liver enzymes and to increase bile, which helps the liver’s detox function. They are also high in compounds that have been shown to reduce inflammation, protect against oxidative stress and reduce the risk of liver damage.

Beets can reduce inflammation:

Their juice contains anti-inflammatory compounds called betalains. Many studies have shown that betalains help modulate inflammatory reactions, especially in inflammatory diseases. Beetroots therefor make a great choice for people with inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia.

Beetroots can help reduce blood pressure:

Beets naturally contain large quantities of nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide. This compound dilates the blood vessels, which improves blood flow and lowers overall blood pressure.

Beets can help prevent anemia:

Beetroots are also rich in iron, an essential component of red blood cells. Without iron, red blood cells cannot transport oxygen around the body. People who have low iron levels can sometimes develop a condition called iron deficiency anemia. Adding sources of iron to the diet can reduce the risk of this condition.

ayurveda

Feeling Vata: This soup is great for you. Packed full of root vegetables to ground lofty Vata especially during winter times or whenever you feel a little out of sorts. Cabbage can be ok for Vata if cooked and not eaten too often, however if you know that cabbage gets you really gassy, then you can leave out the cabbage and cook the soup without it.

Feeling Pitta: Beetroots pacify pitta so this is a very good soup for you. If you’re feeling very Pitta leave out the garlic. Ensure you use the white and not the red onion as red onions can aggravate pitta.

Feeling Kapha: As this soup is full of root vegetables which can aggravate an already heavy Kapha, this is not the best soup for you to enjoy when your Kapha is high. A healing mung bean soup is much more pacifying for your dosha and easier for you to digest, leaving you feeling less heavy. However if you do want to enjoy a bit of beetroot goodness, than use much less of the beetroots and carrots and use more of the cabbage (can also be substituted with white cabbage). Use very little or no salt but you can add more black pepper and more of the lemon juice.

Healing Recipe

Liver Protecting & Anti-Inflammatory Beetroot Borscht

Liver Protecting & Anti-Inflammatory Beetroot Borscht

Beetroot Borscht

Borscht! Borscht! Borscht! What’s not to like about this so very flavourful, earthy and deeply fullfilling spectactle of a soup? Traditionally made with beetroot, potatoes and some form of beef stock, borscht is a classic kitchen recipe associated with the cuisine of eastern and central Europe, especially Russia, Poland, and the Ukraine. Here we will cook a delicious vegan version of this all-time hearty favourite, that’s also very good for your health!

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped finely
  • 1 medium white or red onion
  • 6 beetroots, diced cooked (I use the pre-cooked ones from the supermarket)
  • 1 small piece of celeriac diced
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 4 large potatoes diced
  • 700 gr red cabbage sliced into fine strips
  • 1 tsp black caraway ground in pestle and mortar
  • 4 carrots sliced
  • 2 bayleaves
  • 2 tbsp parsley chopped
  • 4 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1,25 liter vegetable broth without added fats or additives, and no added yeast or MSG or natural flavourings
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • juice of ½ a lemon

Instructions

    1. Fry the onion and the garlic in the oil on low to medium heat for a few minutes until softened.
    2. Add the diced potatoes and fry lightly along with the onion and garlic mix for a few minutes. Stir frequently.
    3. Add the celery stalks, the beetroot and the celeriac. I always add the juice from the pack of the cooked beetroot (if using raw beetroot cook these first for 30 – 40 min and then add to this mix). Keep cooking on medium heat and stir frequently for around five minutes.
    4. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil.
    5. Add the cabbage and the black caraway.
    6. Add the remaining vegetables, bay leaves, the tomato paste and salt and pepper.
    7. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Stir several times. Season to taste with salt (but try and go easy with it as this is a healing soup. Try and avoid the salt altogether if you can).
    8. After 20 mins have passed, try the soup to see if all the vegetables are cooked through and tender. If so, take the soup off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
    9. Now you are ready to serve and eat your soup! Voila!


Liver Cleansing Cabbage & Celery Soup

Liver cleansing, gut healing, immune boosting and anti-bacterial! What’s not to like! Get stuck into this marvellous yummy soup. Eat it anytime of the year when you feel you want to eat something nourishing that also gives your body that extra ‘oompf’ to cleanse and heal.

Weekly Recipe

Liver Cleansing Cabbage & Celery Soup

Yield: 1 Large Pot of Soup

Liver Cleansing Cabbage & Celery Soup

Liver Cleansing Cabbage & Celery Soup

Liver cleansing, gut healing, immune boosting and anti-bacterial! What's not to like! Get stuck into this marvellous yummy soup. Eat it anytime of the year when you feel you want to eat something nourishing that also gives your body that extra 'oompf' to cleanse and heal.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • half a teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1 tsp aniseeds
  • 3 tsp fennel seeds
  • 2 tsp sesame oil (leave out if doing a cleanse, or onl consumer in evening)
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • half head of one medium sized cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 of a fresh fennel bulb, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 litre of vegetable stock (ensure you're stock powder doesn't contain any extra added fats such as rapeseed, palm oil or sunflower, or flavourings or things like maltodextrin - stay away!)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tbsp cocos aminos

Instructions

  1. Grind the fennel seeds and aniseeds with a pestle and mortar.
  2. Heat the sesame oil in a large stock pot (of on cleanse leave out the oil, or onl use if this is your evening meal. Simply add a bit of water to the bottom of the pan instead.)
  3. Add the fresh ginger, garlic and turmeric. Mix well with the oil (or water if on a cleanse) and heat on low for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add the fennel and aniseeds, mix well with the ginger and garlic mix, and keep heating on low until the seeds become fragant (about 4 - 5 minutes).
  5. Add the cabbage, celery, fresh fennel and salt and mix in well with the spice and garlic mixture. Saute for 5 minutes, until veggies start to soften, stirring often.
  6. Add broth, cocos aminos and chicken to the pot and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until veggies are cooked to your liking (I simmer usually for 20-30 min).
  7. Give it a taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve! Voila!