Mum who lost 6th grade after concocting her own ‘weight loss broth’ shares her recipe – and turns it into a thriving business

A mum-of-two lost six stone and transformed her life – by drinking homemade broth.

Rachel Down reached number 15 and became depressed after two difficult pregnancies.

Rachel Down reached 15th place and became depressed after two difficult pregnanciesCredit: Focus Features

But she changed her life after discovering the benefits of bone broth.Credit: Focus Features

Nothing she tried helped her lose weight until she did her own research and made her own broth – made only from animal bones, water and vinegar. apple cider.

Combined with homemade kefir water and switching to a whole foods diet, Rachel lost an incredible 6st in two years.

She has grown her health into a thriving business and now has 10,000 customers, supplying human and animal broths to over 17 countries around the world.

Rachel, 44, from Dorset, said: “I’m delighted with the transformation in myself and want to share it with others.

“It’s not just about how I look, I feel healthier on the inside too.”

Rachel was fit and healthy and weighed around 10 when she became pregnant with her first child, Jack, born in June 2014.

She said: “I was thrilled to be pregnant, but I was having health problems one after another.

“I was suffering from thrush and a series of urinary infections and it seemed like I was constantly taking antibiotics.

“I was going back and forth to the doctor and generally felt terrible.”

By the time Jack was born, Rachel weighed 15, and despite breastfeeding and dieting, she couldn’t shift the extra pounds.

‘Secret Eater’ Moms Show Off Their Incredible Transformation in 28 STONE

“I was going back and forth with the GP, always dealing with infections, but his only advice was to either take antibiotics, antifungal treatment or the birth control pill,” she says.

“I thought the increase in medications was the problem, not the solution.”

Rachel had a second child, Skarlette, in January 2016, but her health problems persist.

She said: “I was having digestive problems and horrible thrush, which I was sure was linked to all the antibiotics I was taking.”

Rachel, who had previously worked in marketing and as a personal trainer, began her own research.

I remember how hopeless I felt at 15, with two babies and unable to lose weight. Gut health has transformed my life and I want to do the same for others

Rachel down

“I read about gut health and how antibiotics can affect the gut microbiome,” she says.

“I was sure I had a condition called Candida overgrowth, caused by too much sugar and too many antibiotics.

“I came across an ancient broth recipe – so old it was even mentioned in the Bible – to improve gut health.

“By now I was desperate. I was tired of being overweight and feeling lazy all the time, with little energy to enjoy my children.”

SECRET RECIPE

In 2017, Rachel started boiling her own broth, made from animal bones, water and a little apple cider vinegar.

She also fermented her own kefir water (similar to kombucha) and started eating only whole foods – no sugar.

She says: “I drank my broth and kefir every day and followed a low-sugar diet.

“In three months I had lost two and a half stone.

“Better than that, I felt incredibly good. My health problems disappeared.

“People started asking me how I lost weight and if I could make broth for them too.

“People were knocking on my door and taking broth in old ice cream tubs.”

The 44-year-old has lost 6th place in two yearsCredit: Focus Features

She drank bone broth and kefir water and switched to a whole foods diet.Credit: Focus Features

Rachel says she was ‘sick of feeling lazy all the time’Credit: Focus Features

The benefits of bone broth

BONE broth is a liquid made from boiling animal bones.

It is often used as a base for soups, sauces and gravies, but many people drink it on its own.

Experts say it can have great health benefits, including:

Better hydration
Improved sleep
A boost of collagen
Reduced inflammation
Weight loss
Joint protection and maintenance
Better gut health

Source: WedMD and MedicalNewsToday

Rachel realized she had the perfect idea for a new business and in 2018 she launched her own business – The British Broth Company (formerly Boil and Broth).

She also began studying health sciences.

“At first it was just a local business, around Dorset, but then I got an order from London,” she says.

“I was so excited, but I was panicking about how I was going to ship the broth and how it would all work.

“I had nine slow cookers bubbling away in our sunroom while I kept up with the growing demand.”

In 2019, Rachel obtained a pet license and now provides broth for dogs, said to be beneficial for digestion, joint and ligament issues, or for weekly maintenance.

A recent study showed significant improvements in the gut health of dogs who consumed this broth.

“I transformed my life”

As the business grew, Rachel and her husband, Simon, 56, moved three times.

She now works in a commercial unit.

Rachel employs six people, including her husband, and the business has thousands of customers around the world.

Rachel says: “It’s great to have a thriving business, but the real reward is helping people, their dogs and other members of the family.

“I remember how hopeless I felt at 15, with two babies and unable to lose weight.

“Gut health has transformed my life and I want to do the same for others.”

Rachel started running her business from her kitchen but now works in a commercial unitCredit: Focus Features

Rachel and her husband Simon, now employed by The British Broth CompanyCredit: Focus Features

Rachel during one of her difficult pregnanciesCredit: Focus Features

The mother of two with her son JackCredit: Focus Features

“I was thrilled to be pregnant, but I was having one health problem after another,” says Rachel.Credit: Focus Features

Bone Broth Recipe

CHICKEN BROTH RAMEN

Packed with nutrients, it’s a great meal for the whole family.

Serve with warm bread, sourdough is preferable.

Ingredients:

1 liter of water
50g British Broth Company chicken bone broth (dehydrated)
400 g pork shoulder, thinly sliced
4 eggs
200g ramen noodles
100 g spinach or other green vegetables
4 spring onions, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (optional)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Prepare the broth: In a large saucepan, bring 1 liter of water to a boil. Add 50g of British Broth Company dehydrated chicken bone broth. Mix well until the broth powder is completely dissolved. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer.
Cook the pork: Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced pork shoulder. Cook until pork is browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Prepare the eggs: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Carefully add the eggs and cook for 6 to 7 minutes for soft-boiled eggs. Remove the eggs and place them in an ice bath to cool. Once cooled, peel the eggs and cut them in half.
Cook the noodles: In another pot, bring water to a boil and cook ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain and reserve.
Brown the aromatics: In the same pan used for the pork, add the sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the spinach or other greens and cook for another 2-3 minutes until wilted.
Mix and season: Add the sautéed greens and cooked pork to the simmering broth. Stir in soy sauce and mirin (if using). Leave to simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the ramen: Divide the cooked ramen noodles among four bowls. Pour the hot broth with pork and greens over the noodles. Top each bowl with two egg halves and a pinch of sliced spring onions.
Serve: Serve immediately hot and enjoy your homemade ramen.

You can find the full recipe here