- Medium
- 115 min
- 2 serv.
- 12 synergies
- Now at its best: Carrot
A hearty paleo stew with beef, carrot, sweet potato, onion, garlic, turmeric, thyme and bay leaf. Slowly simmered until the beef is tender and the vegetables soften in the spiced broth.
This stew is slow comfort: not a quick pan of separate flavours, but beef gently softening in broth with turmeric, thyme and bay leaf. Carrot brings sweetness, sweet potato gives the sauce more body and the onion almost melts into the spiced base. Black pepper gives the turmeric a little extra warmth without making the dish sharp. As the pot bubbles softly, the broth becomes darker and fuller, and the vegetables take on the flavour of the beef. This is exactly the kind of meal that tastes even better the next day: hearty, rounded, simple and made for a deep bowl at the table.
- 15
- min prep
- 100
- min cook
- 115
- min total
Nutritional Synergies
This recipe combines ingredients that enhance each other:
turmeric 
black pepper Increases curcumin absorption by 2000%
Technical: Curcumin from turmeric has bioavailability below 1% due to rapid glucuronidation in the liver. Piperine from black pepper inhibits UGT (UDP-glucuronosyltransferase) and CYP3A4, preventing curcumin breakdown. This increases bioavailability by 2000% (20x). Use ratio ¼ teaspoon pepper to 1 teaspoon turmeric.
What does this mean for you? ALWAYS add black pepper when using turmeric. Without pepper your body absorbs virtually nothing — with pepper 20x more. This is the most important food synergy there is.
Anti-inflammatoryJointsFocus
bay leaf 
garlic Eucalyptol + allicin for broad-spectrum bioactive action
Technical: Bay's 1,8-cineole contains bioactive compounds effective against gram-negative bacteria and fungi via membrane disruption. Garlic's allicin works via thiol blockade in enzymes of gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. Together they offer the broadest bioactive spectrum of all kitchen herbs. Bay's tannins also enhance the antioxidant action of garlic's S-allylcysteine.
What does this mean for you? Bay leaf + garlic is the base of virtually every good broth or sauce. Historically this served as a preservation method — a tradition that also works exceptionally well for flavor.
Immune SystemDigestion
bay leaf 
onion Cineole + quercetin: aromatic broth base
Technical: Bay leaf contains 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol, 50% of oil), an aromatic compound. Onion's quercetin (20mg/100g) is a flavonoid. Bay leaf also contains parthenolide, studied in research in relation to COX signaling. The combination is the base of broth and stews in every Mediterranean cuisine.
What does this mean for you? Always add bay leaves together with onions as the base of your broth or stew. The combination gives a warm, aromatic base to any dish.
Immune SystemAnti-inflammatory
olive oil garlic Aglio e olio: allicin + oleocanthal via complementary biochemical pathways
Technical: Garlic contains allicin (formed when cutting/crushing) that influences HMG-CoA reductase (involved in lipid metabolism). Olive oil contains oleocanthal that modulates COX-1/2 enzymes. Together they influence lipid metabolism and prostaglandin cascade via complementary biochemical pathways. The fat also helps absorb fat-soluble garlic compounds.
What does this mean for you? Gently warm garlic in olive oil (don't burn!) as the base for many dishes. This is why 'aglio e olio' pasta is so beloved — two bioactive compounds that reinforce each other.
HeartImmune System
beef stock garlic Collagen + allicin for joints and immunity
Technical: Beef broth is rich in type I and III collagen for skin, bones and joints. Garlic's allicin offers bioactive action.
What does this mean for you? Add garlic to your beef broth for a rich, savoury flavour alongside the collagen.
JointsImmune SystemSkin & Hair
beef stock turmeric Collagen + curcumin for joint support
Technical: Beef broth is rich in type II collagen supporting joint cartilage, plus glycine and proline for connective tissue. Curcumin from turmeric modulates NF-kB and COX-2 — two signaling pathways involved in joint processes. The fat in broth increases curcumin absorption. Together: cartilage building blocks + bioactive support.
What does this mean for you? Add turmeric to your beef broth for joint support. The broth provides building material for your joints, the curcumin provides bioactive support — and the fat helps absorption.
JointsAnti-inflammatoryMuscle Gain
thyme garlic Double bioactive action via complementary mechanisms
Technical: Thyme's thymol disrupts cell membranes of microorganisms via lipophilic insertion. Garlic's allicin inhibits microbial enzymes (cysteine proteases). Two independent bioactive mechanisms — membrane disruption (thyme) + enzyme inhibition (garlic) — provide broader spectrum coverage than each ingredient alone.
What does this mean for you? Use thyme and garlic together in sauces, soups and marinades. Two bioactive ingredients working through different routes — the foundation of Provençal cuisine.
Immune System
onion garlic More than 20 organosulfur compounds in one soffritto
Technical: Onion contains diallyl disulfide and quercetin (20-40mg/100g). Garlic contains allicin, ajoene and S-allylcysteine. Together they provide more than 20 different organosulfur compounds that modulate NF-κB. Allium crops are intensively studied in nutrition science for their unique sulfur chemistry.
What does this mean for you? Start every dish with sautéed onion and garlic — not just for flavor, but for the unique concentration of organosulfur compounds. Cut garlic 10 minutes before heating to allow allicin formation.
DigestionImmune System
carrot olive oil Up to 5x more beta-carotene absorption
Technical: Carrot contains 8285μg beta-carotene per 100g, but bioavailability from raw carrot is only 3-4%. Heating + olive oil increases this to 20-25%. Oleic acid (73% of olive oil) forms mixed micelles that efficiently transport beta-carotene to enterocytes for absorption.
What does this mean for you? Roast carrots with olive oil or eat them in a salad with dressing. Without fat you absorb only 3% of beta-carotene — with olive oil up to 5x more.
Skin & HairFocusImmune System
sea salt olive oil Minerals + polyphenols for cellular balance
Technical: Sea salt's sodium is essential for the sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+-ATPase) that regulates every body cell. Olive oil's oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol provide antioxidant protection for cell membranes. The combination supports cell integrity: sea salt regulates ion balance, olive oil protects the membrane. In Mediterranean cuisine, coarse sea salt + olive oil is the most basic flavor profile.
What does this mean for you? Freshly ground sea salt with extra virgin olive oil is the simplest and most nutritious finishing of any dish. The combination provides the basic needs of your cells: minerals for function, polyphenols for protection.
HeartGeneral Wellness
sweet potato olive oil Essential for beta-carotene absorption
Technical: Sweet potato is the richest beta-carotene source at 11509μg/100g. Beta-carotene is converted to retinol (vitamin A) by β-carotene-15,15'-dioxygenase, but must first be absorbed via fat micelles. Olive oil increases absorption 3-5x. Without fat, conversion efficiency is only 3:1 (μg carotene:μg retinol); with fat 12:1.
What does this mean for you? Always serve sweet potato with oil or butter. Eating it 'dry' is a missed opportunity — you lose most of the vitamin A. A little fat makes a huge difference.
FocusImmune System
black pepper olive oil Fat increases piperine absorption and enhances polyphenols
Technical: Piperine is fat-soluble and absorbed 2-3x better with dietary fat. Olive oil's oleocanthal and piperine both modulate COX signal transduction through different mechanisms, providing additive bioactive effect.
What does this mean for you? Grind fresh pepper over salads with olive oil dressing. The combination enhances both pepper absorption and bioactive action.
Anti-inflammatoryHeartDigestion
Ingredients (12)
-
beef — 400 g stewing beef, cut into 3 cm cubes - carrot — 200 g cut into half-moons
- sweet potato — 200 g cut into 2 cm cubes
Instructions
- 1 Prepare: Pat the beef dry and prepare the carrot, sweet potato, onion and garlic. Warm the beef stock.
- 2 Brown the beef: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef for 5-6 minutes on all sides, then remove it from the pan.
Nutrition per serving
Indicative values per serving.
Timing & Suitability
Shelf life: 3 days in fridge