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After the births of my second and third children, I was fortunate enough to have a number of friends with extensive knowledge of traditional food preparation bring my family meals until I was back on my feet. In addition to enjoying the benefits of bone broth and nutrient-dense meals, potassium broth was one of the most helpful tonics these caring friends made sure I had in the refrigerator to help me recover very quickly.
Potassium Broth Benefits
Potassium broth is best sipped warm like tea. It is an incredible rejuvenator! When a tablespoon of liquid whey is stirred into each cup, it assists digestion and absorption of the copious amounts of potassium and other minerals present in the broth. The liquid whey also adds enzymes and probiotics.
Potassium broth is an excellent present to bring to a dear friend after she’s had a baby. It is also a wonderful tonic for someone who has recently had surgery or suffered an extended illness.
I’m often asked what is the best thing to bring to a relative in the hospital. Without a doubt, homemade soups and Potassium broth in a thermos top the list! It is easy to load up a small cooler with 3 or more thermoses for the days’ meals. Liquids stay warm in a thermos for many hours.  I have not found a nurse that objects to a small cooler by a patient’s bedside.
One other excellent use for potassium broth for pregnant and newly postpartum moms. It is fantastic for eliminating issues with leg cramps at night. People sometimes suffer from these as they get older as well. A mason jar of this tonic in the refrigerator for sipping at night before bed is a great home remedy for this problem.
Another dish that is perfect for recovery is Kitchari porridge. Of course, the healthiest bone broth loaded with gelatin is a wonderful food to offer as well. Potassium broth is much quicker to make, however. It is also a good option for friends/relatives who are vegetarian.
How to Make Potassium Broth
Potatoes are nightshade vegetables. As a result, be sure to use very fresh, preferably organic potatoes in this recipe. They should never be green under the skin or have any visible sprouts, as this could add the toxin solanine to the potassium broth.
Inspired by the recipe in Nourishing Traditions Cookbook.
Potassium Broth Recipe
Recipe for homemade potassium broth that is an excellent tonic postpartum or for those recovering from surgery or illness in the hospital
Ingredients
- 4 potatoes well scrubbed, preferably organic
- 3 carrots peeled, chopped, preferably organic
- 4 celery stalks chopped, preferably organic
- 1 bunch parsley preferably organic
- 4 quarts filtered water
- 1 Tbl liquid whey
Instructions
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Peel potatoes. Place the potato peelings, carrots and celery in a large pot with the filtered water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add parsley and simmer for 5 more minutes.
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Cool and strain the finished potassium broth into glass containers in the refrigerator, reheating small amounts as needed. Add 1 TBL whey to each cup for a big boost to mineral assimilation.
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Potassium broth freezes beautifully, so freeze what you will not use in about one week.
Recipe Notes
Potassium broth lasts about 4 days in the refrigerator. Freeze what you will not use in that time.
The cooked and strained veggies are ideally tossed into the compost bin (all the minerals are in the broth!).
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Ah, this is another one of the many recipes I’ve never gotten around to trying from Nourishing Traditions (there are so just many). I’ll have to give it a try.
One other thing that also helped me recover after childbirth was eating liver. Unfortunately, we don’t eat liver very often in our house as my husband finds it unpalatable, but after having both of my kids I really needed some! My mom made us fried chicken livers, mmm. It was especially good for me as I have been a bit anemic after both of my births.
This is such a great post. A must add to my postpartum hand outs. Now if I could just teach ’em all to make whey…I’ll have to link your video somehow. Thanks!!
Thanks for sharing! I have never heard of this before. I can’t wait to be pregnant again and try this. How lucky are you to have friends who bring you this broth instead of pizza from Costco (that was literally something a friend brought me during my post partum meal deliveries!)
My best friend is expecting in 3 months. I’m going to share this with her. Thanks!
Doesn’t parsley reduce lactation??
And would you recommend this over a bone broth?
Hi Anjanette, no this is not recommended over a bone broth. It is a tonic rather than an epicurean food creation like a soup. This is a remedy to assist recovery.
I never experienced any issue with lactation drinking this broth after birth. You are not actually eating the parsley anyway, it is simply contributing minerals to the broth per the recipe.
Wait, JUST the potato peelings, but not the rest of the potatoes?
Yes, just the peelings as putting the whole potato in the water would bring hemagglutinins into the water that disrupt red blood cell function. This is why it isn’t good to ever eat a potato raw.
I already add carrots to my chicken stock (for the last hour or two) and celery when I have it. In theory, if I saved up my potato peels like I do my carrot ends for broth, that would turn my chicken stock into a potassium broth as well, right?
BTW, when I saw the post title in my feed reader, I read it as Possum Broth, which didn’t surprise me a whole lot given the interesting things that I see in the Real Food community. 🙂
Ha, ha! Possum broth! How funny is that? 🙂
I’m nightshade sensitive. What might replace the potato? This would also be great for people on diuretics that deplete potassium…
I could have used this recipe last week! Our dear friends from Maple Valley Farms (an off-grid farm in Coral, MI) were extremely ill with the H1N1 flu, with the mom, Angie, having to be hospitalized for 4 days. She had passed out in the parking lot of the Dr. office, and was taken by ambulance to the hospital…incoherent, unable to even sign her own name….
Her potassium levels were VERY low, as well as her electrolytes being off. She is a NT chapter leader, so she and her family have been eating very healthy for quite a while. All 6 of her children, ages 17 down to 2 were infected. This has really thrown them for a loop. I will definitely copy this recipe for further reference….
Sounds like it would be an excellent thing to have after weight lifting. I’m going to give it a try. Thanks.
YES! Would be great as a mineral replenisher after a strenuous workout.
You could also add these vegetables to a partially completed gelatin stock, for protein and even more minerals.