4 Potential Benefits of Drinking Bone Broth

While chicken soup has long been held up as a healing food, a new soup has taken the spotlight. Bone broth is gaining popularity, with people promoting it for everything from skin health to better sleep and improved digestion. 

Can a simple broth really have all of these health benefits? Let’s take a closer look at what bone broth is, why it seems to be having a “moment,” and whether it actually offers the health benefits that people claim it does.  

What is bone broth?

Bone broth is a soup made from simmering animal bones in water. To make bone broth, you roast animal bones, then simmer them in water for 12 to 48 hours. You can also add vegetables (like carrots and celery), herbs, and spices. You can buy bone broth premade, or you can make it yourself.

You can make bone broth from the bones of: 

• Chicken

• Turkey

• Cows

• Fish

• Pigs

• Lamb

• Deer

• Bison

Bone broth can use any bones from the animal, including the neck, tail, and feet. Some recipes also use animal skin, cartilage, and inner organs. You can use whatever is available from your butcher shop or grocery store. 

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Most bone broth recipes call for an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. Adding an acid to the broth during cooking helps to release collagen from bones as they cook. Collagen is a protein found only in animal foods. It provides structure and support to human body tissues. As bone broth cooks, collagen forms another protein called gelatin. Gelatin makes the broth thicker.

Bone broth vs. regular broth

Regular broth (like chicken or beef broth) is made by simmering meat and vegetables. Regular broth typically contains anywhere from 0.5 g to 6 g of protein per serving, depending on the brand. Bone broth contains higher amounts of protein, usually around 10 g per serving. This higher protein in bone broth may provide some specific health benefits.  

Bone broth nutrition facts

The name “bone broth” may give the impression that it’s high in calcium or good for your bones. But bone broth has very little calcium per cup. In fact, bone broth is not a significant source of any vitamins or minerals, save for a moderate amount of iron.

Below is nutrition information for one popular store-bought brand of beef bone broth (1 cup):

• Calories: 50

• Fat: 0 g

• Carbohydrates: 3 g (1% DV)

• Protein: 10 g (20% DV)

• Sodium: 391 mg (16% DV)

• Iron: 1.1 mg (6% DV)

Percentages are based on the percent daily value (DV), or how much of a nutrient you’re recommended to eat per day.

What are the potential benefits of drinking bone broth?

The protein in bone broth — specifically the collagen and gelatin — is the reason for most of its health benefits. Let’s take a look at what the research says. 

1. Gut health 

Glutamine, one of the amino acids in bone broth, may help the gut by:

• Reducing inflammation

• Strengthening the intestinal lining

• Balancing good and bad bacteria

Bone broth’s role in reducing gut inflammation may be particularly helpful for people with ulcerative colitis. This is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation in the lining of the colon and rectum. But so far, studies have mostly been on mice, not humans. So more research is needed to see how bone broth may benefit gut health. 

2. Joint health

Bones contain protein in the form of collagen. When bones cook in water, collagen is released into the water. If cooked long enough, the collagen from bones becomes gelatin. Collagen and gelatin break down to provide the amino acids glycine and proline, which may support joint health. 

Collagen and gelatin help stimulate chondrocytes, cells that make cartilage. This may help restore deteriorating collagen in joints. 

Research also suggests that collagen may help relieve joint pain from overuse or osteoarthritis. One study showed that adults taking chicken collagen pills for 8 weeks had less joint pain and stiffness, and improved mobility. 

3. Skin health

There aren’t clinical studies on the effects of bone broth on skin health. But there are studies on collagen supplements and their effect on skin. The studies looked specifically at hydrolyzed collagen supplements. These are supplements in which the collagen is already broken down. This type of collagen is easier to digest than raw collagen. 

A research review of 19 studies found that hydrolyzed collagen supplements helped improve skin hydration and elasticity, and helped reduce the appearance of wrinkles. 

If bone broth contains a good amount of collagen, it may help improve skin health, too. But collagen content is not listed on ingredient lists or on nutrition facts tables. And different bone broths contain different amounts of collagen. Some research has found that commercial bone broth may not deliver enough collagen to make a difference.

4. Weight loss

Some people use bone broth as a food to help with weight loss. While there are no clinical studies on bone broth and weight loss, we know bone broth is:

• A low-calorie food

• High in protein, which promotes satiety (feeling full). Protein may also reduce your appetite by decreasing levels of ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry. 

• Hydrating due to its high water content. Staying hydrated may reduce overall calorie intake because it helps you feel full after eating. On the flip side, when you're dehydrated, you may interpret thirst as a hunger signal and eat more.

Other health claims 

Bone broth is advertised as a healing soup that can help with everything from headaches to insomnia to “body detoxification.” But there aren’t clinical studies to support these benefits, so they may be more marketing hype than fact. Bone broth shouldn’t be relied upon as a cure for all health problems. 

What are the different types of bone broth?

There are many kinds of bone broth. Each type of bone broth differs in: 

• The bones used: Bone broth can be made from the bones of just one species of animal, or a combination of bones from different species of animals. 

• Flavor: The flavor of the broth will differ depending on which vegetables, herbs, and spices are added to the cooking water. 

• Texture: Cooking time affects texture. The longer bone broth cooks, the more gelatin will form from the collagen. The more gelatin in the broth, the thicker it will be.

• Form: Commercial bone broth is available in liquid and powder form (to which you add hot water). You can also find low-sodium, organic, and gluten-free bone broth (made without yeast extract or other gluten-containing preservatives). 

Can you drink bone broth every day?

It’s safe to drink bone broth every day. A 1 cup serving provides 10 g of protein. But keep an eye on sodium content. Many store-bought bone broths have as much as 400 mg sodium per serving — equal to about 15% of your recommended daily intake for sodium. It’s a good idea to try to find a low-sodium bone broth.

You also may have heard concerns about bone broth containing lead or trace metals from animal bones. But researchers found that the amount of contaminants that end up in bone broth is extremely low. It is safe to drink. 

How long does it take to feel the benefits of bone broth?

There’s no set amount of time that it takes for collagen to work. Clinical studies on joint pain usually last for 8 weeks, and study participants have reported improvements in that time frame. There are no studies on bone broth for skin health, but research suggests that collagen supplements can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles in about 3 months.

Studies show that the protein content of bone broth varies quite a bit. Therefore, bone broth may not be as reliable a source of protein as collagen supplements. So if you’re considering using collagen for a therapeutic purpose, choose bone broth that guarantees 10 g protein per cup (rather than guessing by making your own). Or use collagen supplements instead. 

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Written by:

Cara Rosenbloom, RD

Cara Rosenbloom, RD, has been a registered dietitian for 22 years. She began her career working as a dietitian at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician in a variety of clinical settings. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

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