The 8 Greatest Chicken Broth Alternatives

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Chicken broth plays an important role in many recipes, bringing a creamy richness and a whole lot of flavor to some of our favorite dishes. But what are we to do if we’re vegan, cutting back on the salt or simply have none available? This article gives you 7 great chicken broth substitutes that will work perfectly for a variety of needs and uses.

To begin with, chicken broth is a sort of broth. So, what exactly is broth? Broth, often known as bouillon, is created by simmering meat, vegetables, or bones in water. After a few hours of boiling, the meat, bones, or vegetables are removed, and the resultant flavor-infused liquid is known as broth. Chicken broth is normally created from water in which chicken (and sometimes vegetables) has been cooked.

Although this is the conventional method for making broth, bouillon cubes may also be added to water to get a similar effect. Bouillon cubes are often created from dried materials such as stock, spice, and fat, resulting in a concentrated taste that when mixed with water equals that of regular broth.

What’s the difference between broth, bouillon, and stock?

Let’s start with the simple stuff. Broth and bouillon are commonly recognized as distinct names for the same substance. With stock, though, the scenario becomes a bit more difficult. Many people, including chefs, use the phrases broth and stock interchangeably, which means they both refer to the same substance.

Yet, many people distinguish between broth and stock. Broth is frequently seen to be more delicious but not as rich as stock. This is because stock is often cooked for longer periods of time than broth and utilizes bones as its principal element rather than meat.

Simmering bones yields a richer, creamier liquid that is higher in collagen but not as flavorful as broth. Stock is also seen to be more adaptable than broth since it has a less identifiable taste, according to this description. Broth has less calories than stock.

Is it healthy (or unhealthy)?

Chicken broth offers both advantages and disadvantages in terms of health. But first, let’s address the elephant in the room: chicken broth powder (and many other versions) contain a shocking amount of salt, accounting for about 1,000% of your daily recommended consumption for 100g of dry broth.

Yet, before you throw away your broth supply, take in mind that this figure will be considerably lower if you merely add a tiny quantity to water to use in recipes.

Nevertheless, broth is notorious for its high salt content, and it might be difficult to locate a type that does not exceed your daily recommended consumption in only 1 or 2 glasses. Excessive salt consumption is associated with a number of major health problems, including an increased risk of hypertension, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Chicken broth includes modest quantities of total fat and saturated fat, however this is nothing to be concerned about if eaten in moderation.

On the positive side, chicken broth has a high protein content (17g per 100g) as well as moderate levels of various vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. Chicken broth also doesn’t use a lot of calories, particularly if you simply use a tablespoon or two.

The primary health risk with chicken broth is its high salt level. Low-salt variants, on the other hand, are available. Apart from that, chicken broth has a significant quantity of protein as well as various vitamins and minerals, making it a relatively nutritious diet if drunk in moderation.

Nutritional Analysis:

Chicken stock (dry)

Amount (per 100 g) (per 100 g)

% Daily intake recommendation

Calories

267 kcal

14 %

Fat in total

14 g

21 %

Saturated fatty acid

3.4 g

17 %

Cholesterol

13 mg

4 %

Salt

23,875 mg

994 %

Protein

17 g

34 %

Carbohydrates in total

18 g

6 %

Calcium

187 mg

18 %

Iron

1.03 mg

5 %

Potassium

309 mg

8 %

Magnesium

56 mg

14 %

B-6 vitamin

0.1 mg

5 %

(Based on USDA nutritional statistics for chicken broth.)

In what dishes does chicken broth appear?

Chicken broth is often used to flavor soups, sauces, gravies, stews, stuffing, and other dishes. It is, however, a flexible element that may be utilized in a number of different cuisines.

Why do we need chicken broth alternatives?

As previously said, chicken broth, particularly powdered variants, frequently contains very high levels of salt, prompting many people to seek out healthier, less salty alternatives.

Chicken broth, which includes chicken and occasionally other non-vegan components, is clearly not on the menu for vegans. If you’re removing the meat, it’s a good idea to have a back-up strategy in case a recipe asks for chicken or other animal-based broths.

Sometimes we aren’t expecting to see chicken broth in a dish we were all set to cook. Do we really need to go all the way to the shop for just one ingredient? Nope! This essay was written with each of these requirements in mind, and it has a suitable alternative for each circumstance. Therefore, without further ado, let us look for the best solution for you.

Note:

= vegan

= not vegetarian

= non-vegan and vegan alternatives

Read product information for nutritional advice. Always double-check the label and


1. Make your own (chicken or vegetable broth) 🥩 / 🌱

Ideal for: any chicken broth-based meal

Want a delicious, customisable broth that won’t oversalt your body? Why not create your own? Homemade broth takes a bit more time and work to make, but it is well worth the effort if you have the time.

Advantages

Apart from the fact that it tastes just as excellent as or better than store-bought broth, our favorite thing about creating your own broth is that the possibilities are really limitless.

Do you like a traditional chicken broth with a dash of all your favorite vegetables? No worries. Want a flavorful vegan option that isn’t limited by what’s on the market? Can do! There are several recipes for both classic chicken broths and veggie-based vegan broths available online, and you can always adapt to fit your own personal preferences.

Because of the inherent versatility of this choice, you can decide how nutritious (or harmful) your broth is. This is a terrific way to reduce the excessive salt level of many store-bought choices without sacrificing taste. You may also add as many nutritious vegetables as you like to get additional vitamins and minerals.

Although making stock takes time, after you’ve created it, you can either freeze the leftovers or store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s still not the most handy choice in the world, but it’s good to have a few delicious leftover pieces for later.

Since you can prepare this alternative with any ingredients you choose, it’s a terrific choice for both vegetarians and meat lovers.

Disadvantages

The biggest disadvantage of this approach is the amount of time and effort required. It may take some time to gather all of your components, as well as a number of hours to boil the combination and eventually store the leftovers. Homemade broth isn’t as handy or time-saving as store-bought broth, but it more than makes up for it in taste and variety.

Nutritional analysis

The nutritional benefits of this choice might vary greatly depending on the dish. Nonetheless, most handmade broths have much less salt than commercial alternatives.


2. Beef broth 🥩

Most chicken broth recipes benefit from it.

If you’re short of chicken broth but have some beef broth on hand, this may be an excellent solution. Beef broth is clearly not vegan and has a different taste than chicken broth, but if you don’t mind a more beef-flavored final product, it still makes an excellent replacement.

Advantages

While the flavors of chicken and beef broth vary significantly, this choice will deliver the same rich, meaty taste as chicken broth. There aren’t many compelling reasons to purchase beef broth instead of chicken broth, but if you already have it on hand and prefer the taste, you may as well use it.

Beef broth has nutritional benefits that are quite comparable to chicken broth, which is both a gift and a burden, but let’s start with the positives. Beef broth, like chicken broth, has a high protein content as well as modest levels of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium. It is also low in calories, with around 238kcal per 100g of powder (much less per serving if youre just using a tablespoon or 2).

Disadvantages

Yet, due to its similarities to chicken broth, beef broth is often highly heavy in salt. If you choose a powdered form, you may consume more than 700% of your daily recommended salt consumption per 100g. This will be substantially less if you only add a little to water or choose a low-salt version, but it’s worth keeping an eye on if you’re concerned about your health.

Another evident downside of this alternative is that it is neither vegetarian nor vegan, since it is created from simmering beef broth. There may be some beef-flavored vegan choices on the market, but if you’re going out of your way to get a meat-flavored vegan option, you may as well go for a vegan chicken-flavored broth to obtain a closer taste match.

Nutritional analysis

Broth of beef (dry)

Amount (per 100 g) (per 100 g)

% Daily intake recommendation

Calories

238 kcal

12 %

Fat in total

9 g

14 %

Saturated fatty acid

4.3 g

22 %

Cholesterol

10 mg

3 %

Salt

16,981 mg

708 %

Protein

16 g

32 %

Carbohydrates in total

23.7 g

8 %

Calcium

60 mg

6 %

Iron

1 mg

6 %

Potassium

446 mg

13 %

Magnesium

51 mg

13 %

B-6 vitamin

0.2 mg

10 %

(Nutritional information based on dry beef broth powder.)


3. Vegetable broth 🥩 / 🌱

Most chicken broth recipes benefit from it.

Here’s another good one for vegetarians. If you’ve never had veggie broth, you may be amazed at how rich and flavorful it can be. It’s not as meaty as chicken broth, but it’s still a decent alternative for most chicken broth meals.

Advantages

remove dairy products from your diet. There are some vegetable broths on the market that include meat or dairy, but the majority are intended at vegetarians and vegans. This makes it an excellent and convenient alternative for chopping meat.

While it does not normally include meat and so lacks the meaty taste of chicken broth, it is usually just as rich and flavorful in other ways. Vegetable broth comes in a number of tastes and formats, including liquid and powder, so the flavor combinations are limitless.

There are also numerous low-salt vegetable broth variants available, making it an excellent alternative for those who are health-conscious; just be sure to check the label to verify that it fulfills your requirements.

Disadvantages

If you use chicken flavoring in your recipe or don’t mind the change in taste, this won’t be an issue. The most evident drawback is that vegetable broth and chicken broth do not have the same flavor. If you’re looking for a meaty taste, it may be tough to obtain the same impact. If you already have chicken, though,

Since vegetable broth is not necessarily vegetarian or vegan, you may need to do some research to locate one that matches your particular requirements. Vegan vegetable broth, on the other hand, is readily accessible in the United States, the United Kingdom, and many other countries, and you can always purchase it online as a last option.

Vegetarian broth may not be as high in protein as animal broth (though it is also typically lower in salt and fat). This isn’t much of a disadvantage, but it’s worth noting. Although being made from vegetables, it does not have a significant concentration of vitamins or minerals.

Nutritional Analysis

Broth of vegetables

Amount (per 100 g) (per 100 g)

% Daily intake recommendation

Calories

5 kcal

14 %

Fat in total

0 %

Saturated fatty acid

0 %

Cholesterol

0 %

Salt

400 mg

16 %

Protein

0 %

Carbohydrates in total

1.3 g

0 %

Calcium

0 %

Iron

0 %

Potassium

0 %

A vitamin

289 IU

4 %

(Based on USDA nutritional statistics for Swanson vegetable broth.)


4. Water and bouillon cubes 🥩 / 🌱

Most chicken broth recipes benefit from it.

Tired of fumbling with liquid and powdered broths? Then why not try bouillon cubes? Bouillon cubes include all of the taste and richness of chicken broth in a convenient cube form. Simply dissolve one (or more) cubes in the amount of water specified on the box and add to your recipe.

Advantages

Whereas opened liquid chicken broth only lasts a few days in the fridge, bouillon cubes may be stored properly for up to two years. Since they are concentrated and designed to dissolve in water, they may be used many more times than liquid chicken broth per pack. If you intend on employing broth in your future cooking, bouillon cubes are a lot more handy solution. Although powder lasts a long time in the cupboard, the benefit of using cubes is that it’s super easy to figure out how much to use: if you’re making one serving, use one cube, and so on.

This high degree of ease does not come at the expense of taste. Chicken bouillon cubes may taste just as wonderful as the genuine thing, and there are lots of veggie bouillon cubes available as well.

Bouillon cubes often have the same nutritional value as other types of broth powders, so you’re not missing out. If you choose a meat-based broth, you will generally receive a significant quantity of protein, as well as the same number of vitamins and minerals as other types of meat or vegetable broths.

Disadvantages

Nevertheless, bouillon cubes, like other types of broth, are often highly heavy in salt. Check the label to see how much salt is in it, particularly if you have a health condition that might be exacerbated by excessive salt consumption. Bouillon cubes are also heavy in fat and saturated fat, although this isn’t a big deal if you just use one or two cubes.

Bouillon cubes aren’t as readily accessible as powdered broth or stock. They are normally very simple to obtain in the United States, but might be more difficult to get in the United Kingdom and other nations. If you can’t locate it in a shop near you, you can always purchase it online.

Nutritional analysis

Cubes of vegetable bouillon

Amount (per 100 g) (per 100 g)

% Daily intake recommendation

Calories

360 kcal

16 %

Fat in total

36 g

55 %

Saturated fatty acid

18 g

90 %

Cholesterol

0 %

Salt

18,540 mg

773 %

Protein

18 g

34 %

Carbohydrates in total

0 %

(Nutritional information based on Rapunzel vegetable bouillon cubes.)


5. Water and butter / olive oil 🥩 / 🌱

Ideal for: meals where you want the tastes of the other ingredients to stand out.

If you’re pressed for time and don’t have any other choices, a simple combination of water and butter or olive oil may produce a surprisingly excellent substitute for the real thing. To create, combine one cup of water with one tablespoon of butter or two teaspoons of olive oil.

Advantages

The nicest part about this option is how easy it is. The great majority of us have a tub of butter or a bottle of olive oil on hand at all times, and water is the most readily accessible component of all. It’s also very fast and simple to create; just combine 1 tablespoon of butter or 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 cup of water, mix well, and add to your recipe, replacing the quantity of chicken broth asked for precisely (a 1:1 replacement ratio).

Although this alternative does not have the same taste as the original, the fat from the butter or olive oil lends a somewhat creamy richness that successfully resembles the richness of chicken broth. Some chefs even choose to leave entirely the broth in particular recipes so that the other tastes in the meal may shine. This is partly dependent on your recipe and the other components you’re using, but having a less distinctly flavored broth option isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

A tablespoon of butter is definitely not the healthiest thing on the planet, but it also does not have the frighteningly high salt level that many chicken broth variants have. Since olive oil has much less saturated fat than butter, it is a preferable choice if you wish to limit your consumption of harmful fats.

This substitution is suitable for both vegans and non-vegans, since vegan butter or olive oil may simply be substituted for non-vegan butter and work just as well.

Disadvantages

If you like a strong, distinct taste from your broth, this is probably not the option for you. While this choice works well if you want the tastes of the other components in your meal to take center stage, it lacks flavor on its own.

While butter is low in salt, 1 tablespoon includes around 18% of your daily necessary total fat and 35% of your daily recommended saturated fat. If you’re on a low-fat diet, you may want to look at other choices.

Nutritional analysis

Butter and water

Amount (per 100 g) (per 100 g)

% Daily intake recommendation

Calories

57 kcal

3 %

Fat in total

6 g

9 %

Saturated fatty acid

4 g

20 %

Cholesterol

17.2 mg

5 %

Salt

0.9 mg

0 %

Protein

0.1 g

0 %

Carbohydrates in total

0 %

Calcium

0 %

Iron

0 %

Potassium

1.9 mg

0 %

B-6 vitamin

0 %

(Nutritional information from the USDA for 8g butter + 92g water.)


6. Wine (white or red) 🌱

Great for: most chicken broth meals, as long as you don’t mind a winey kick.

Who said broth replacements couldn’t be enjoyable? Yes, so wine will never taste exactly like chicken broth or other broth variations, but it will offer a rich flavor that will complement the other tastes in your meal.

2 a cup of water. You may easily adjust these proportions if you want a milder or greater wine taste in your meal. 2 cup wine and 1 cup chicken brothWhite wine works well as a substitution for chicken broth, but red wine may also be used if you want a richer taste. To use, use 1 cup of chicken broth for every 1 cup of chicken broth called for in your recipe.

Advantages

If you already have a bottle of white or red wine in your cabinet, this might be a quick option that doesn’t need a trip to the shop. Even if you don’t have any on hand, wine is a commonly accessible component that comes in a range of varieties and flavors, enabling you to choose the one that best matches your preferences. It is also adaptable in that you may add more or less water depending on how strongly you want the wine taste to come through.

While alcohol is not the healthiest element, unlike chicken broth, wine does not have an alarmingly high salt concentration. In reality, most wines contain hardly little salt at all. It also includes trace quantities of several vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B-6, as well as significant levels of antioxidants, thus taking little amounts may be good to your health.

The great majority of wine is perfectly safe to drink for vegans, making it a feasible choice if you’re seeking for a vegan alternative.

Disadvantages

Obviously, wine does not have the same meaty taste as chicken broth. Whether or whether this is a disadvantage for you relies entirely on your recipe and the other components in it. If you already have other chicken-flavored components (or chicken itself) in your recipe, or if you don’t mind a less meaty taste, this might be a nice alternative.

This is probably not the ideal solution if you want to reduce your use of alcohol and the poor health impacts that come with it. Nonetheless, as long as you don’t overdo it in your meal, this alternative will have no negative consequences (besides perhaps getting you a bit tipsy!).

Nutritional analysis

a glass of white wine

Amount (per 100 g) (per 100 g)

% Daily intake recommendation

Calories

82 kcal

4 %

Fat in total

0 %

Saturated fatty acid

0 %

Cholesterol

4 %

Salt

5 mg

0 %

Protein

0.1 g

0 %

Carbohydrates in total

2.6 g

0 %

Calcium

0 %

Iron

0.27 mg

1 %

Potassium

71 mg

2 %

Magnesium

10 mg

2 %

B-6 vitamin

0.1 mg

5 %

(This is based on USDA nutritional data for white wine.)


7. Dashi 🥩 / 🌱

Ideal for: meals including fish or seafood.

Dashi is a traditional Japanese dish that may be characterized as fish stock or broth. It’s commonly prepared using kombu (edible kelp), katsuobushi (smoked, fermented skipjack tuna), and water. As you would expect, this produces a fishier taste than chicken broth, but it might be a nice option if you want a seafood feel or want to experiment with different flavors.

Advantages

While the tastes of chicken broth and dashi vary significantly, dashi is still primarily a sort of broth with comparable degrees of richness in its flavor. Dashi’s fishier taste will not work in many meals, but if your recipe includes other fishy elements, this might be a terrific way to accent those qualities.

Dashi, like chicken broth, comes in a number of forms, ranging from ready-made liquid dashi to powdered variants. If you want to create your own, there are several internet recipes to choose from.

Dashi has a comparable nutritional profile as chicken broth. It is high in protein, calcium, and potassium, with minor levels of other vitamins and minerals.

Disadvantages

Dashi has a particular taste that is distinct from chicken broth. If you use a 1:1 replacement ratio, the resulting product will be notably different in most recipes. As previously said, this isn’t always a terrible thing if you’re cooking with other seafood products or if the taste combination works well. If you don’t want the fishier taste to come through as much, you may dilute it with less dashi and more water.

Sadly, dashis nutritional resemblance to chicken broth isn’t entirely good. Dashi, like chicken broth, includes a lot of salt and just a little bit of fat and saturated fat. If you’re monitoring your salt consumption, seek for kinds that have a reduced salt level.

Dashi is often neither vegan or vegetarian since it includes fish. There are versions made entirely of kombu (edible kelp) and without fish, although these may be difficult to locate, particularly in the West.

Even more traditional varieties of dashi might be difficult to get in the West. If you can’t locate any in your local grocery store’s foreign department, you may be better off shopping for alternatives online.

Nutritional analysis

Dashi powder

Amount (per 100 g) (per 100 g)

% Daily intake recommendation

Calories

265 kcal

13 %

Fat in total

14 g

22 %

Saturated fatty acid

3.5 g

18 %

Cholesterol

13 mg

4 %

Salt

23,900 mg

996 %

Protein

16.5 g

33 %

Carbohydrates in total

18 g

6 %

Calcium

150 mg

15 %

Iron

1 mg

6 %

Potassium

310 mg

9 %

(Based on dashi granules nutritional information.)


8.  Water 🌱

Ideal for: meals where you want the tastes of the other ingredients to stand out.

Indeed, it’s only water. Simple as that. This isn’t the most interesting alternative on the list, but it’s surprisingly effective as a last option. In certain cases, using water for chicken broth might assist to improve the taste of your food. Just substitute 1 cup of chicken broth with 1 cup of water in your recipe (a 1:1 substitution ratio).

Advantages

You may be shocked to learn that just substituting water might enhance the overall taste of your cuisine. The richness and powerful tastes of chicken broth might dominate the flavors of other components in certain recipes. If you have other tastes in your recipe that you want to shine, substituting water for broth can help you do so.

What else is wonderful about water? It’s far less expensive and more convenient. Why keep broth powder in your pantry when you can just turn on the faucet anytime you want?

Another thing you don’t have to be concerned about with water is health risks. Of fact, it has no inherent health advantages (except than being excellent for hydration!). However, it is completely free of calories, salt, fat, and everything else. As compared to the shockingly high salt level of most chicken broths, the entire absence of salt in water is extremely useful.

Disadvantages

Nevertheless, this is not a good idea if you depend on the chicken broth to bring flavor to your recipe. Water has no taste, so you’ll have to depend entirely on the other components in your recipe to get the required flavor. If you don’t believe this will work for your dish, you should experiment with a more flavored substitution.

Nutritional analysis

There’s nothing to see here! Water is always necessary for hydration, yet it contains no calories or minerals.


In conclusion

We hope that after reading our list of substitutions, you now have a choice of wonderful chicken broth alternatives for a number of situations. So don’t panic if you’re still perplexed. Let’s wrap things up with a brief rundown of our best selections for vegans, health, convenience, and likeness to chicken broth.

Best vegan selections

Vegan versions of olive oil, wine, and (of course) water are not difficult to find. You’ll be pleased to know that most of the alternatives on our list offer vegan counterparts. Broth, bouillon cubes, water, and butter

Best healthy options

Either olive oil or simple water. The biggest health issue with chicken broth is its high salt level. If this is your primary reason for replacing, you may use reduced salt variants of chicken broth, beef broth, veggie broth, dashi, or bouillon cubes, or go completely salt-free and use wine, water, and butter.

Best selections for convenience

Water is the obvious winner in terms of convenience. Water is always readily available and absolutely free, making it an ideal alternative if you’re in a hurry or don’t want to go to the shop.

If you want something with a little more taste or substance, water and butter or powdered broth forms (such as bouillon cubes) are also good options.

Top compelling selections

Making your own chicken broth (or veggie broth) from scratch is unrivaled in terms of convincingness and taste. You may use any components you want to obtain the taste and nutritional content you want.

This is also advantageous since you may regulate the quantity of salt in your broth. If you don’t want to go through the trouble of preparing your own broth, vegetable broth, beef broth, or bouillon cubes are all appealing alternatives that have the aromatic richness of chicken broth.

FAQs

What can I replace chicken broth with?

What Is the Greatest Chicken Broth Substitute? Here Are Four Excellent Suggestions (Including One You Definitely Have on Hand)
Water. Don’t be afraid to replace water with chicken broth…. Bouillon cube…. Vegetable stock…. Bean or chickpea liquid.
Aug 20, 2020

What can I use in place of broth?

If you need an alternative for chicken broth, use the same quantity of white wine or a mixture of water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil or melted butter. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 cup water to make beef broth.

What’s better than chicken broth?

Chicken stock is superior than broth for cooking because it is more concentrated and has a deeper depth of flavor. Chicken stock is also more adaptable and may be utilized in a variety of recipes. Stock is used to produce sauces and soups from chicken bones and other components.

What can I use instead of better than bouillon chicken stock?

Chicken broth is unquestionably the greatest option for chicken bouillon. Using chicken broth will give your dish the homely, poultry-rich taste that you’re looking for from bouillon cubes, whether it’s store-bought or homemade (although our homemade chicken broth recipe is my favorite).

What is the same as chicken broth?

The words “broth” and “stock” are often interchanged. There is a distinction between them, despite the fact that their constituents are virtually the same. Stock is composed largely of bones, while broth is usually comprised of meat or vegetables.

Can I use bouillon cubes instead of broth?

What is the proportion? Most recipes that call for broth or stock may be substituted with bouillon cubes or granules. For every 1 cup of broth, 1 bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon of bouillon granules) should be dissolved in 8 ounces of boiling water.

Can I use water as broth?

The short answer is that it’s typically OK to replace vegetable stock with water.

Is bouillon the same as broth?

Brodo, bouillon, and stock are all interchangeable terms. Often, but not usually, meat is used: bones, vegetables, and aromatic herbs are cooked in water. The liquid that results is known as broth or stock in English, brodo in Italian, and bouillon in French.

How do you make stock taste like broth?

Rinds of Parmesan. I always have a jar of Parmesan rinds in my freezer for adding to gently simmering soups, tomato sauce, and beans…. Dried Mushrooms…. Fermented, Spicy Pastes…. Sautéed or Roasted Aromatics…. Garlic (Lots of It)… Woody Herbs…. Warm Spices.
Oct 27, 2022

What is the healthiest broth?

The best overall

The gluten-free, USDA Organic broth is produced from free-range chicken bones, so you know you’re receiving the best nutrients possible.

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