Herbal Defence is the aromatic member of Planet Paleo’s organic bone broth quartet: grass-fed bovine bone broth powder blended with the herbs every Mediterranean kitchen already trusts — organic thyme, oregano, garlic, onion and ginger, with sea salt tying the pot together. The result is the most kitchen-familiar cup of the range: full-bodied, herby and savoury in a way that needs no explaining to anyone raised on soup. 225 g per pack.

The herb rack, in a broth

Thyme and oregano are the backbone of half of Malta’s cooking; garlic and onion the other half; ginger the warming visitor from further east. Blending them into a slow-simmered, gently dehydrated bone broth gives you a mug that tastes like the first twenty minutes of making Sunday soup — without the twenty minutes. Every herb is certified organic, as is the broth itself, and the ingredient list stops there: no yeast extracts, no anti-caking agents, no flavourings pretending to be food.

What you’re drinking

Slow simmering draws the collagen and amino acids out of grass-fed bones; careful dehydration locks them into a protein-rich powder. That makes Herbal Defence both a drink and an ingredient: a savoury cup whisked into hot water, or an instant aromatic stock for soups, stews, gravies and grain pots. A beef product through and through — not vegetarian.

Ways to use it

• The herby mug — a serving in hot water, whisked well (no anti-caking agents means honest stirring), sipped like tea
• Instant soup base — the shortcut to minestrone, aljotta-adjacent broths and vegetable soups that taste long-simmered
• Roast-day gravy — a spoonful where depth is missing
• Grains and pulses — lentils and rice cooked in diluted broth arrive pre-seasoned

Choosing among the four flavours

Think of the range as a spice rack: Original is the neutral cooking stock, Golden Turmeric the warming evening cup, Ancient Mushroom the umami nightcap — and Herbal Defence the one that tastes most like food. If your mugs lean Mediterranean, start here.

Frequently asked questions

Is it strongly garlicky? Rounded rather than raw — the garlic reads as soup, not bruschetta.

Storage? Cool, dry, lid tight, dry spoon — the standard powder courtesies.

Servings per pack? Around 25 mugs from 225 g.

The “defence” in the name, honestly handled

Planet Paleo named this blend for its herb rack, and we’ll keep the reading honest: thyme, oregano, garlic and ginger are the kitchen’s oldest seasonal-comfort herbs, cherished across Mediterranean and Asian traditions for precisely the months when everyone’s sniffing. We make no medical promises on their behalf — the herbs’ job here is flavour with heritage, and they do it superbly. What the cup certainly delivers is protein-rich warmth with a recognisable ingredient list, which through a damp Maltese January is its own kind of defence.

Making it a habit worth keeping

The natural slot is the late-afternoon savoury break or the pre-dinner mug that takes the edge off arriving home hungry — twenty-odd grams of ingredient honesty standing between you and the crisps. Cooks should also try the powder dry-rubbed duty: a teaspoon in breadcrumb coatings and roast-vegetable seasoning works shamelessly well. However you use it, whisk with intent and keep the spoon dry; a no-additive powder rewards small courtesies.

Kids’ soup duty? As a food it’s family-fair game — the herbs are dinner-table familiar, and diluted cups suit smaller palates.

Best add-ins for the mug? A squeeze of lemon and a grind of pepper take the cup from good to deliberate; a beaten egg whisked in makes it a straciatella shortcut.

Delivery in Malta & Gozo

€6 delivery, free over €40 across Malta and Gozo, or collection from St Paul’s Bay.