Bieler’s Broth: A Mineral-Rich Soup for Winter Restoration

Deep Nourishment for the Post-Holiday Season

Post holiday and in the depths of winter, your body craves something deeply nourishing. Consider making a batch of Bieler’s Broth. This is a simple but powerful mineral-rich soup that has been restoring balance and vitality for decades.

Created by Dr. Henry G. Bieler, MD and featured in his groundbreaking book Food Is Your Best Medicine. This gentle green broth isn’t about harsh detoxing or deprivation. It replenishes what holiday activity may have depleted. This recipe offers essential minerals, alkalinity, and deep cellular nourishment.

Why Bieler’s Broth Works

While many associate this broth with cleansing (and yes, it does support the liver in a powerful way), its magic in this season lies in its mineral density. Think of it as a multivitamin in liquid form. It’s gentle, absorbable, and suited for bodies that need restoration rather than restriction.

The combination of zucchini, string beans, celery, and parsley creates a powerhouse of:

• Potassium: Essential for cellular function, nerve transmission, and maintaining healthy blood pressure

• Magnesium: Supports hundreds of enzymatic processes, from energy production to muscle relaxation

• Calcium: Not just for bones—critical for nerve signaling and muscle function

• Trace minerals: Zinc, manganese, and others that support immune function and hormonal balance

• Chlorophyll: From the parsley and green vegetables, supporting cellular oxygenation and gentle detoxification

These minerals are offered in a form your body recognizes and will absorb easily. 

Supporting Your Foundational Systems

Dr. Bieler understood that true health comes from supporting the organs and glands that run everything behind the scenes. This broth specifically nourishes:

The Liver: Your body’s primary processing center benefits from the mineral support and gentle alkalinity this broth provides. This broth gives it the resources it needs to do its job efficiently.

The Adrenal Glands: After the activity and diet shifts of the holiday season, your adrenals need mineral replenishment—especially potassium and magnesium. This broth delivers both in abundance.

The Thyroid: Proper mineral balance is essential for thyroid hormone production and conversion. The trace minerals in this broth support optimal thyroid function.

The Kidneys: The gentle diuretic properties of celery and parsley support kidney function without depleting minerals. In fact, this recipe replenishes them.

Perfect for This Season

While Dr. Bieler called this “internal spring cleaning,” it’s ideal for right now—the dead of winter between Christmas and New Year’s. Your body doesn’t need another extreme. It needs gentle restoration. It needs minerals. It needs warmth and nourishment.

This is exactly what Bieler’s Broth provides. It’s a warm, soothing mineral infusion that helps restore alkalinity without deprivation. It supports detoxification without harshness. It nourishes deeply without heaviness.

The Recipe

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 lbs zucchini

• 1 lb string beans (fresh or frozen)

• 4 stalks celery

• 1-2 bunches fresh parsley

• 4 cups clean filtered water

• Extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep your vegetables: Roughly chop the zucchini, string beans, and celery. No need for precision—they’re going to be blended anyway.

2. Cook until soft: Place all the chopped vegetables in a stainless steel or porcelain pot (avoid aluminum or non-stick) with the filtered water. You can either steam or boil the vegetables until they’re completely soft and tender. This usually takes 15-20 minutes.

3. Blend with parsley: Transfer the cooked vegetables along with their cooking water (this is where many of the minerals have leached—don’t lose them!) to a blender. Add the fresh parsley. Blend until you reach the consistency of smooth pea soup.

4. Optional additions: Stir in a small amount of extra virgin olive oil if desired. This adds healthy fats and can help with the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients.

5. Serve warm: Enjoy immediately while warm, or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Variations for Extra Nourishment

For immune support: Add 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic and a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger while cooking.

For gut healing: Add a diced onion or leek while cooking for prebiotic fiber and sulfur compounds.

For protein: Use bone broth in place of water for added collagen, gelatin, and minerals from the bones.

For herbs: Experiment with fresh basil, cilantro, or dill in place of (or in addition to) the parsley.

How to Use Bieler’s Broth

As a meal replacement: Enjoy a generous bowl (2-3 cups) as a light lunch or dinner when you need something gentle and restorative.

As a daily mineral boost: Sip 1 cup before your main meals to alkalize and mineralize throughout the day.

For a gentle reset: Have nothing but Bieler’s Broth for 1-2 days if you’re feeling sluggish or depleted after holiday indulgences. Always listen to your body and consult with your ND if you’re planning anything more than a day or two.

Between meals: Keep some in a thermos to sip throughout the day, especially if you’re prone to afternoon energy dips or sugar cravings.

The Beauty of Simplicity

Bieler’s Broth is a reminder that sometimes a realigning, nourishing shift can be simple. Adding this into your winter diet offers deep mineralization and gentle support for the organs. 

Make a pot this week. Your liver, your adrenals, your thyroid—your whole body—will thank you.

Adapted by Heidi Ochsner, RD from Food Is Your Best Medicine by Henry G. Bieler, MD

Have questions about incorporating Bieler’s Broth into your health plan? Reach out to schedule a consultation with one of our NDs.