Vegetable Broth

Low Histamine, Low FODMAP Vegetable Broth (also Low to Medium Oxalate, Low Lectin, and Low Salicylate option) 

This low FODMAP vegetable broth makes a great foundation for low histamine recipes for soups and stews.  

Broths add more flavor to soup recipes than you’d get from plain water alone. 

You’ll find several ready to use broths on your grocery store shelf. But many aren’t FODMAP friendly. 

And if you have Histamine Intolerance (HIT) or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), there are a few other reasons you may want to make your own vegetable broth, too! 

Keep reading to learn more about: 

  • What is FODMAP Intolerance?
  • Advantages of homemade broth for FODMAP Intolerance or other food intolerances
  • How to easily customize this recipe using ingredients of your choice
  • How to make this broth for Salicylate Intolerance
  • Top tip for freezing broth (always have some on hand for future recipes!) 

And get my simple recipe for low FODMAP vegetable broth! 

This recipe is:  

Let’s start by looking briefly at what FODMAP Intolerance is. 

Low FODMAP Vegetable Broth for FODMAP Intolerance 

Before you change your diet on your own, please make sure you’re working with a healthcare practitioner who can help you with this. Never limit foods unnecessarily, and always have a licensed medical provider who is supervising your case. 

FODMAPs are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) present in some foods.  

The acronym FODMAP stands for: 

  • Fermentable
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Disaccharides
  • Monosaccharides
  • And
  • Polyols

FODMAP Intolerance may be due to: 

  • An imbalance of gut bacteria
  • Not enough enzymes to break down FODMAPs 
  • Mold Toxicity 

Mold Toxicity is one of the top root causes of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome we see here in the Mast Cell 360 practice.  

That’s why we sometimes explore FODMAP Intolerance as one possible cause for symptoms like: 

  • Bloating
  • Gas
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation

But here’s what’s interesting. 

You may be able to tolerate some FODMAPs even if you have FODMAP Intolerance. 

That’s why it’s important to work with your provider. You never want to eliminate foods unnecessarily. 

For example, you may tolerate foods from the oligosaccharides category like: 

  • Onion  
  • Garlic 
  • Beans 

But you may have trouble tolerating foods from the polyols category. 

Polyols can be found in: 

  • Sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol)
  • Pitted fruits (peaches, cherries)  

You may benefit from a low FODMAP diet if your provider determines that FODMAPs are an issue for you. 

Replacing high FODMAP foods with low FODMAP foods may help alleviate painful symptoms! 

That’s where recipes like this low FODMAP Vegetable Broth can come in handy. 

So, let’s talk more about how making your own broth can be beneficial. 

Advantages of Homemade Broth 

What are the advantages of making your own broth rather than buying store-bought? 

Here are the top 2 reasons if you have food intolerances or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. 

  • Fewer additives
  • Can tailor to your own needs 

Fewer Additives 

To my surprise, a lot of pre-made vegetable broths don’t have a ton of additives and preservatives! 

They do have some, though. 

And most food that sits in a package on a shelf builds up histamine over time. 

So, depending on where you are with your health, using whole foods to make your own broth may still be the best option for you. 

I wasn’t surprised to see that veggie bouillon cubes are more processed. And they tend to have more additives. You’ll want to avoid those as you recover your health. 

Here’s more on why additives can be a problem if you have Histamine Intolerance or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. 

  • Additives like citric acid (often from mold fermentation) can be a problem for those with Mold Toxicity and Histamine Intolerance.
  • Additives like “natural flavors” aren’t actually natural. They may contain MSG or gluten which can be mast cell triggers for some.
  • Additives like yeast are high histamine
  • Additives like corn starch may not be suitable for those with Lectin Intolerance or corn allergies 

Related Article: Is Corn High Histamine? 

These are just a few additives which make homemade broth a better option. 

Here’s another reason. You can customize your broth to fit your own needs.  

Customize Your Recipe to Fit Your Needs 

It’s great to see more companies filling a need for convenience and health! 

Brands like Fody Foods specialize in low FODMAP ready-mades. 

But what if you have FODMAP Intolerance and Histamine Intolerance or other food intolerances, too? 

So, if you have more than one intolerance even good, specialty brands may not be an option for you. 

For example, a low FODMAP broth might include tomatoes or paprika. But both of those ingredients are high histamine. 

That’s why it can be beneficial to have some simple recipes to make and keep as core items in your freezer. 

Related Article: Low Histamine Foods List 

Here’s an easy ratio to use to customize your own recipe. 

Easy Ratio for Vegetable Broth  

When it comes right down to it, you can use any vegetables of your choice to make a broth. 

A basic ratio to keep in mind when making your broth is 1 part vegetable mix to 2 parts water. 

You’ll also see ratios online that go 1 to 3.

I think the 1 to 2 ratio imparts more flavor. 

So, you’ll use about 1 cup of cut herbs and veggies to 2 cups of water. 

Note: 2 cups of water won’t necessarily yield 2 cups of broth. This recipe for low FODMAP vegetable broth started with 10 cups of water and yielded about 7 cups of broth. 

Here’s a tip for choosing what vegetables to use.  

Avoid veg in the Brassica family. 

These are foods like: 

  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Kale
  • Turnips 

Some of the foods in this family are also high FODMAP foods. So, you’d want to avoid them with FODMAP Intolerance, anyway. 

However, even if you don’t have FODMAP Intolerance, these ingredients aren’t recommended. They can tend to overpower your broth and even leave it a little bitter. 

This recipe I’ve provided is a good place to start if you are looking for a low FODMAP vegetable broth. It’s also low histamine, low oxalate, and low lectin. 

And to make it even easier for you, here’s a breakdown of what to do if you also need it to be low salicylate.  

Low Salicylate, Low FODMAP Vegetable Broth 

Salicylate Intolerance is another food intolerance that affects some people. 

Related Article: Salicylates and Salicylate Foods 

Here’s how to customize this vegetable broth recipe to make it low salicylate, too. 

Omit these ingredients from the low FODMAP vegetable broth recipe to make it low salicylate: 

  • Bay leaf 
  • Ginger
  • Thyme 

Keep reading to find out how to enrich the broth if you have Salicylate Intolerance but NOT FODMAP Intolerance. 

FODMAPs Not a Concern? Try This. 

Not everyone has FODMAP Intolerance. Here’s what you can do to enrich your broth if you don’t have an issue with FODMAPs. 

These ingredients are all low histamine, low oxalate, low lectin and low salicylate.  

  • 1 onion 
  • 2-4 ribs of celery 
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic 

Here’s more on what you can expect from this foundation recipe. 

Recipe Expectations for Low FODMAP Vegetable Broth 

This is a foundation recipe. That means you use this to build other recipes. It will be used as a soup base in most instances. 

You aren’t usually going to eat it as is. 

So, I don’t want you to be disappointed if you don’t want to eat a whole bowl for lunch! 

Here’s a fun fact about the difference between stock and broth.  

Stock is made from bones. Broths are made from meat. 

For example, you’d use chicken bones to make chicken stock. The bones release gelatin and proteins as they cook. This makes stock robust. Stock also tends to be a little thicker than broth. 

You’d use chicken meat (like thighs or breasts) to make chicken broth. Broth doesn’t require as much time to simmer. 

For Histamine Intolerance, I recommend meat broth over bone broth (or stock). 

Related Article: Meat Broth Recipe 

There isn’t much difference between vegetable stock and vegetable broth since neither use animal-based products. 

So, you could just as easily call this low FODMAP Vegetable Broth or low FODMAP Vegetable Stock! 

But when it comes to choosing your soup base, should you use veggie broth or meat broth? 

For me, if it’s soup with meat like this low histamine chili recipe, I’ll use meat broth. 

For veggie soups like this low histamine leek and fennel soup recipe, I’ll often use veggie broth. 

But most soup recipes are very flexible. It really comes down to your taste and what you need for your health and dietary preferences. 

Once you get started making broth, go ahead and make extra. Consider it a “pantry” staple. Although in this case you’ll be freezing it. 

Here’s my top tip on storing broth. 

Top Tip for Storing Homemade Low FODMAP Vegetable Broth 

You can store extra broth in any freezer safe vessel. 

Some people use ice cube trays. Many ice cubes are about 1 ounce. That’s about 2 tablespoons. 

There are 16 tablespoons in one cup. 

So, if you need one cup of broth for a recipe, that’s about ½ tray of ice (8 ice cubes). 

In my experience, a lot of soup recipes require at least 4 cups of stock. That’s about 2 trays.  

Optionally, you can use the fantastic Souper Cubes that come in multiple sizes. 

It’s easy to measure out and extract the stock cubes from this silicone storage. 

And you can get them in multiple colors. So, you can store your meat broth in one color and your vegetable broth in another. Then, you’ll always know exactly what to pull out when you cook! 

Alternately, you can use glass jars in the size of your choice. Just let the broth cool a little before freezing. And leave a little room in the jar for expansion. 

Use this Low FODMAP Vegetable Broth in these recipes: 

Vegetable Broth Cooking

Low FODMAP Vegetable Broth

Use this easy to make, Low Histamine, Low FODMAP Vegetable Broth recipe as a foundation to create delicious low histamine soups. The cook time is mostly simmering! 
No ratings yet
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 7
Calories 29 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Start by getting all your produce out of the refrigerator and into your prep area.
  • Put the filtered water in your large pot and bring to a boil while you prep the produce.
  • Wash all produce thoroughly. You can leave carrot peels on, but I didn’t.
  • Do a rough chop of the carrots, leeks, fennel, and green onions. Add to the boiling water.
  • Add the grated ginger and full sprigs of thyme and parsley to the boiling water. You don’t need to chop these or remove stems.
  • Add salt to taste. You can use more or less than this recipe calls for.
  • Bring the water back to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about an hour.
  • Place your large bowl in the sink and put your mesh strainer in/over the bowl.
  • Remove your pot from heat and carefully strain the broth into your bowl through the strainer.
  • Use immediately in soup recipes or let cool slightly and then store in silicon storage cubes (like Souper Cubes) for future recipes.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Low FODMAP Vegetable Broth
Serving Size
 
415 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
29
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
0.3
g
0
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.1
g
1
%
Sodium
 
369
mg
16
%
Carbohydrates
 
6
g
2
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword gluten free, low FODMAP, low histamine, low lectin, low oxalate, low salicylate option, medium oxalate

Ending question: Would you like to see more soup recipes using this low FODMAP vegetable broth? 

More Low FODMAP Recipes: 

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References 

Ballis, S. (2022, July 26). Stock vs. Broth: What’s the Difference? Food & Wine. https://www.foodandwine.com/soup/the-difference-between-stock-and-broth  

Fedewa, A., & Rao, S. S. (2013). Dietary fructose intolerance, fructan intolerance and FODMAPs. Current Gastroenterology Reports, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-013-0370-0 

HappyForks. (n.d.). Recipe analyzer. https://happyforks.com/analyzer 

Monash University. The Low FODMAP Diet. Monashfodmap.com. Accessed May 3, 2024. 

TMS – The Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc. (2022, September 21). Nutrition – TMS – The Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc. TMS – the Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc. https://tmsforacure.org/nutrition/ 

Comments

  1. missing nuts

    Thanks for the recipe. Is there any reason that onions or just onion skins aren’t a good idea in this broth? I can’t eat fennel because I’m allergic to nickel, so I’m trying to figure out some substitutes. I’m thinking of trying celeriac in it. Also, could you tell me what size stock pot you’re using?

    1. Jamie, Mast Cell 360

      Onions are high FODMAP and this recipe was specifically designed for those who might experience some issues with FODMAPS, but if you don’t you could always use onions or onion skin! This recipe specifically calls for a large stock pot.

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