NutraOrganics Beef Bone Broth

Sometimes a brand name can be deceptive. One would expect a high quality organic ingredient list from a brand named "NutraOrganics", but alas, it is another failing in our industry to stop the deception to customers.

Is Tapioca Starch Healthy in Broth Products?

Unfortunately, more and more broth manufacturers are including tapioca starch or maltodextrin in their products. But is it healthy?

Maltodextrin is an additive used as a preservative, thickener, and bulking agent. It is derived from corn, potato, rice, wheat, or tapioca starches. Studies suggest it raises blood sugar levels, and studies link it to intestinal inflammation, which defeats the purpose of taking bone broth in the first place. Tapioca Starch is used as a thickener to improve binding and mouthfeel of a product.

"A critically important new study by Laudisi et al¹ shows that consumption of the food additive maltodextrin, incorporated into many processed foods, leads to the promotion of intestinal inflammation. These findings suggest that this broadly used food additive could be a risk factor for chronic inflammatory diseases."
Ref: Maltodextrin, Modern Stressor of the Intestinal Environment

Understanding the Deception

It is certainly a nice cheap filler for manufacturers to cut costs, but it comes at the expense of the consumer's health. The use of tapioca starch and maltodextrin in products is a concerning trend in the industry. The flippant use of the word organic on a product that is not certified organic is potentially misleading.

Consumers should be vigilant when reading ingredient labels and not be swayed by brand names that suggest organic or higher quality than what is actually being delivered. It is essential to educate oneself on common additives like maltodextrin and tapioca starch to make informed choices when purchasing products.

In this example, you are paying for a filler.

Other Added ingredients

Why would any bone broth company feel the need to add collagen? In our view, iff bone broth is made correctly, it’s already brimming with natural collagen, along with the full suite of nutrients it comes with. Adding modified, extracted collagen is just unnecessary and dilutes the integrity of a product that should be celebrated for its whole, natural goodness. When you do it right, the bones do all the talking—no artificial extras required.

Which brings me to yeast flakes. These most definitely have their place in an ingredient list. But they are a pure flavour booster. While some might claim it's for extra nutrients, it’s really just covering up for what a true bone broth should already deliver naturally. Quality broth doesn’t need gimmicks or add-ons—just real, nourishing ingredients, especially when comparing base "naked" bone broths that are to target healing the gut.

Bovaer Cattle Feed

NutraOrganics have confirmed they use Bovaer cattle feed.

"Nutra Organics Support

Hi there, thanks for your message! Bovaer is a supplement added to cattle feed to reduce methane emissions and is approved for use in Australia. Our cattle are primarily grass-fed, however, they are occasionally supplemented with feed (for example, during periods when weather conditions make grazing less viable).

It's also important to note that Bovaer is broken down in the animal's digestive system and is not present in the meat, milk, or skin. I hope this helps clarify things, please reach out if you have any further."

It is probably best to not get me started on my feelings regarding cattle and methane emissions... that will be a whole blog on its own. Broth of Life are VERY against Bovaer feed for cattle, for "environmental" or ANY other reason. This will entail a full blog of it's own with references to peer reviewed papers as to why we should be avoiding the use of this new trial cattle feed product.

It further shows why purchasing a certified organic product is so very important, as bones from cattle that had consumed Bovaer Feed is not allowed in broth under the strict organic auditing process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the presence of tapioca starch, or maltodextrin, in broth products raises questions about the integrity of a brand and the importance of transparency in labelling. As a consumer, it is crucial to be aware of these deceptive practices and advocate for clearer labelling standards to protect our health and well-being.