Whether it’s adding maca powder to smoothies or subtracting gluten altogether, people are always searching for a dietary panacea that will fend off disease and boost fitness results. One item that’s recently been hyped up as a do-it-all wellness enhancer: bone broth.
Bone broth certainly isn’t a new item in the culinary landscape—cooks from different cultures have been using bone-based stocks and broths for centuries. But, thanks to our modern wellness culture, it’s trendier than ever.
The hoopla around bone broth highlights its collagen content, plus all of the vitamins and minerals it might contain. The rich-tasting liquid is sold as a way to quell inflammation, boost digestive health, increase bone strength, improve exercise recovery, alleviate allergies, and so much more. Drink a cup or two a day and you are good to go, say the proponents.
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But, how much of the hype is actually based on science? Here, we lay out the facts on the benefits of bone broth.
What exactly is bone broth?
Bone broth is essentially the same thing as stock, but different than most of the broths you’ll find at the supermarket. Bone broth is thicker than regular broth as a result of the gelatin that gets released from the animal bones as they simmer for numerous hours. This is why bone broth can thicken and get jiggly when refrigerated, just like Jell-O would.
Unlike stock, bone broth is often made without any vegetables, and a few teaspoons of vinegar might be added to bone broth as it simmers, which helps release even more gelatin and, in theory, more nutrients from the bones. The process of making bone broth is certainly more elaborate than stirring a packet of powder in hot water.
If a product at the grocery store is labeled as “bone broth” instead of stock or broth, it has likely been made with more bones, and simmered for longer. Expect to pay significantly more for bone broth than regular broth or stock.
What are the nutritional benefits of bone broth?
Bone broth can be rich in the protein collagen, which yields several amino acids. Although collagen is one of the most talked-about benefits linked to bone broth, it’s also one with the least amount of evidence.
Collagen is the most abundant type of protein in our bodies, and its function is to help form structural scaffolding that supports organs and soft tissues. It’s not just in your skin, but also your bones, muscles, hair, nails, cartilage, ligaments, and blood vessels. So eating it from bone broth may, in theory, prevent or relieve osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and other bone- or skin-related conditions.
The ability of the human body to produce collagen naturally from amino acids decreases as we age (darn, those wrinkles), which is another reason why people look for food and supplement sources. Athletes are also drawn to consuming collagen to help deal with achy joints, accelerate recovery, strengthen bones and, in general, fend off Father Time.
For the most part, the evidence that consuming extra collagen is helpful is far from definitive, only slightly suggestive. For example, one 2019 study of 24 recreationally active males, published in the journal Amino Acids, found that supplementing with collagen could help improve some aspects of exercise recovery, such as muscle soreness, but had no benefit in other areas including inflammation. Meanwhile, a 2023 study involving 20 people, discovered that increased collagen intake reduced post-exercise muscle soreness in middle-aged people, but participants were new to working out and not seasoned athletes. (Note these studies are small!)
As for aches, a report in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism found that the 139 athletes who were suffering from knee joint pain experienced more relief after taking 5 grams of collagen peptides for 12 weeks than those taking a placebo.
If you’re hoping the collagen in your favorite pricey bone broth can help you with your mid-ride GI issues, don’t get your hopes up. To date, research on collagen’s impact on gut health is less than impressive than some of the other reported benefits of bone broth.
For the most part, we aren’t working with long-term, large-scale studies regarding collagen and human health. It’s important to know that studies on collagen typically use high amounts of it and likely more than you’d get from a serving of store-bought bone broth.
To date, there are not any studies to show that simply consuming a serving or two of bone broth daily will help soothe the knee pain that annoyingly accompanies each pedal stroke.
Some scientists also say that it’s nonsense to believe that eating collagen might lead to a significant uptick in collagen production in our bodies. Just as the dietary fat you swallow doesn’t necessarily translate to body fat, consuming collagen doesn’t automatically become collagen in or between your bones and connective tissues. Your diet may already contain sufficient amounts of the amino acids, including glycine, that your body needs to naturally produce all the collagen it requires without slurping bone broth. And our digestive systems may break down any collagen in bone broth into individual amino acids and then use these elsewhere for other needs.
In addition to the collagen from bone broth, you’ll also get some substances released from connective tissues, including glucosamine and chondroitin. These are compounds found in our cartilage that are known to support joint health. But, again, it’s a big leap to say that what you get from sipping bone broth will do much to keep your joints in tip-top shape. Also, you would need to use a bone broth that was made with some meat still attached to the bones during production, which is not always the case for brands on the market.
Animal bones are rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and other trace minerals—the same minerals needed to build and strengthen our bones. So when bones are simmered in liquid for extended periods of time much of those nutrients may end up in the broth you are consuming.
But when it comes to nutrients, it’s tough to know exactly what you’re getting with bone broth. The nutrient content will likely vary based on the types and amounts of bones used and the cooking methods (say, five hours of simmering versus 24 hours or more). This means that different bones may yield a higher or lower nutrient content. In fact, one investigation of commercially available bone broths found they can contain relatively small amounts of calcium and magnesium.
Where a steamy mug of bone broth is useful is after a hard ride where its rehydration liquid, protein, and sodium can aid in recovery efforts. A cup serving of packaged bone broth contains about 10 grams of protein and 200 to 300 milligrams sodium.
Cooking grains, like brown rice, in bone broth instead of plain water or using it as a soup base instead of regular broth is an easy way to increase your intake of muscle-building protein. Just keep in mind that the collagen protein in bone broth isn’t the best source of protein for muscle protein repair and synthesis because it doesn’t have as beneficial of an amino acid profile as does other animal-based sources, such as whey or chicken. Think of it as a complementary protein source, not a gold standard.
Are there any dangers from using bone broth?
It’s very unlikely that consuming bone broth could cause harm, unless you’re consuming it in very large amounts. Animal bones are known to contain trace amounts of toxic metals along with their minerals. When bone both is cooked, some of these heavy metals like lead may be released, according to some research. But exposure levels from the amounts of broth most people will be consuming is believed to be low enough to pose little health risk.
While the sodium in store-bought bone broths is useful in helping replace what is lost in sweat during hard rides, if you are consuming a few servings a day it can add up to more than you need and potentially be detrimental to cardiovascular health. In this case, you may want to compare nutrition labels and look for options with lower amounts of sodium.
The bottom line on the benefits of bone broth
While extracting every last bit from an animal is commendable and bone broth is undeniably more flavorful than mass-produced broth, it is not likely to be the health hero you hope it is.
A search for research in the National Library of Medicine database reveals few studies conducted on the trendy beverage—meaning there is very little scientific research to support the broadcasted health claims. That said, it can increase your intake of protein and some important nutrients and can add flavor to dishes without adding lots of extra calories. So you can go ahead and use bone broth as a comforting drink or in soups and stews (the way humans have historically done) if your food budget allows, but know that consuming it for better health and performance is not a must.
It’s also fairly easy to make your bone broth at home, which will save you a few bucks.
Here’s a basic recipe to get you started:
In a large pot, combine:
- 1 gallon water
- 2 pounds animal bones, preferably with some meat still attached (request these from a local butcher)
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer; cook for 12 to 24 hours. Strain.
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