Austin Fit Magazine published the recipe for The Soup Peddler’s ever-popular Green Detox Broth in their December 2018 issue. Inspired by this tasty and nourishing soup that packs a powerful punch of greens, Flourish Functional Nutritionist, Angela Nash, analyzed the nutrient content of the greens used in the entire recipe (broccoli, kale, parsley, zucchini) and in a 16 oz large serving from the health-based Austin restaurant chain.

Nash has created her own variation of the soup, which substitutes chicken or bone broth in place of water for additional protein, as well as added vitamins and minerals. She incorporates more greens by using an entire bunch of parsley, versus the typical 2 tablespoons called for in the original recipe. We love the aromatic wholesomeness of the extra parsley, which purees away not to overpower the balance of flavors.

This recipe takes about an hour to make at home at a cost of $10. It is AIP-, Paleo-, and Whole30-compliant and the original recipe is vegan. Whether you gear up to make it at home or swing by the Soup Peddler, Green Detox Broth is a soothing and delicious way to get one-third up to one-half of your daily requirements of many vitamins and minerals! (See table below.)

*Photo courtesy of Brian Fitzsimmons, Austin Fit Magazine*

Recipe

Makes 1 quart of soup or 2 (16oz) bowl servings

Ingredients

1.5 tsp raw organic coconut oil
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large zucchini, diced
1 whole broccoli crown, roughly chopped
1 bunch chopped kale, de-stemmed (we used the tender half of our stems, sliced small)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (we used an entire bunch in ours)
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Sauté onion and garlic in coconut oil until onions are translucent. Reserve 2T parsley to keep fresh for end, then add zucchini, kale, remaining parsley, and broccoli to onion mix. Add three cups of filtered water (we use chicken or bone broth) and softly simmer low or low medium just until all vegetables are soft. Heavy boiling removes more nutrition. Remove from heat and add fresh cilantro, parsley and lemon juice. Puree with an immersion blender or Vitamix blender. Season with salt and pepper.

Due to pesticides and soil mineral depletion, it is recommended to use organic vegetables when possible for highest mineral content as not all vegetables provide these average minerals amounts in every sample. You can see that from one 16oz bowl, you get almost one quarter of your zinc and fiber. One third or more of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and B1 thiamin. One half or more of iron, phosphorous, copper, B2 riboflavin, B3, niacin B6, folate, Vitamins A, K, and C. Batch cook for the week and you have a comforting vitamin meal ready in moments. If you are curious what those vitamins and minerals do for you, check out the summary below. Note: in some instances, vitamins and minerals from plants are not as easily absorbed as they are from animal sources.

Thanks to The Soup Peddler Real Food & Juice Bar, souppeddler.com

Sulfur: (from the broccoli, onions & garlic in the recipe) Important in the production of super antioxidant, glutathione, and in running our liver’s detox pathways. (1) Necessary from food. In scientific studies, sulfur reduces cancer cell reproduction. (2)

Vitamin C: An antioxidant and builds collagen for body tissue bone formation. Antioxidants quell the damage caused by highly reactive chemicals released from biochemical reactions in our bodies. (3)

B1 Thiamin: Functions as a cofactor in gene replication, protein formation, and energy production. Requires Magnesium. (4)

B2 Riboflavin: Involved in the synthesis of ATP, the body’s main energy storage. Riboflavin is used in iron utilization, in B6 reactions, and also is a cofactor in making the major antioxidant, glutathione. (4)

B3 Niacin: Helps convert food into useable energy, assists in DNA replication, maintains gene stability, and may be important in cancer prevention. (3)

B6: Must be obtained from diet. Plays a vital role in the function of over 100 enzymes that start chemical reactions in the body: blood and protein synthesis, fatty acid metabolism to name a few. Studied for the regulation of homocysteine and late onset depression. (3)

B9 Folate: Involved in the synthesis of chromosomes, vitamin B12 metabolism, and in the central nervous and immune systems. (4)

Iron: Essential to carry oxygen to tissues, make thyroid hormone, make neurotransmitter dopamine, and involved in the energy production reaction and immune function. Absorbed best from animal sources. (4)

Magnesium: Assists in hundreds of essential cellular reactions, structural component of bones and teeth, regulates nerve transmission and muscle contraction. (3)

Potassium: a mineral and electrolyte that is essential for the function of nerves and heart contraction.

Phosphorus: Phosphorus is an essential structural component of cell membranes, but is also involved in several biological processes, including chromosome replication, bone mineralization, energy production, and cell signaling.

Vitamin K: essential for the functioning of many proteins involved in blood clotting.

Zinc: Zinc controls the body’s stress response, immune response and helps with sexual function. 300 enzymes in our bodies need zinc to complete biochemical reactions! Deficiency leads to depression, ADHD, learning problems, aggression, violence. Very important. (5)

Fiber: feeds the amazing beneficial bacteria in our colon (microbiome) that manage our immune system for disease prevention and make neurotransmitters for brain function. I love to say look at your plate and see what you are eating to feed your microbiome. They love tough fiber.

Sources:

1 Nimni M.E., Han B., Cordoba F. Are we getting enough sulfur in our diet? Nutrition and Metabolism (London) 2007;4:24. 6 November 2007. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-4-24. This article is available from: http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/4/1/24

2 Ha, A. W., Hong, K. H., Kim, H. S., & Kim, W. K. (2013). Inorganic sulfur reduces cell proliferation by inhibiting of ErbB2 and ErbB3 protein and mRNA expression in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Nutrition research and practice, 7(2), 89-95.

3 Linus Pauling Institute. (2019). Retrieved from https://lpi.oregonstate.edu

4 Gaby, A. R. (2011). Nutritional Medicine. Fritz Perlberg Publishing: Concord, NH.

5 Brogan, K. (2016). A Mind of Your Own. Harper Wave: New York, NY.

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