Bone broth is having a big moment in talks about wellness due to its skin-loving and potential nutritional benefits. Bone broth is packed with collagen, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. So let’s talk about bone broth’s benefits, how to incorporate it into your routine, and if it is all it’s cracked up to be.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. Collagen makes up the body’s skin, muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments, organs, blood vessels and intestinal lining. Because of this, collagen is essential for skin health. Ingesting foods high in collagen, such as bone broth or collagen supplements, can help with anti-aging by providing your body with extra collagen in order to repair skin and other organs. It also can help with your hair health and joint health!
It’s estimated that there may be anywhere from 5 to 10 grams of collagen per cup of bone broth however, it is dependent on cooking time and the type of bones used. Therefore, it is a relatively good source of collagen. Studies confirm that collagen supplementation can result in significant improvements in facial skin radiance, texture, and overall appearance.
@dr.kay.longevity I did the research so you dont have to. #collagen ♬ original sound – Dr.Kay
Proteins are made from amino acids. The main amino acids that make collagen are proline, glycine and hydroxyproline. These amino acids group together to form protein fibrils in a triple helix structure. Your body also needs the proper amount of vitamin C, zinc, copper and manganese to make the triple helix. Amino acids help to form other various proteins needed by the body. Some of the benefits of the specific amino acids abundant in bone broth can be increased relaxation and decreased inflammation in the body.
Gelatin is an incomplete protein made by cooking collagen. Studies show that it may positively help gut health, skin health, bones and joints, as well as sleep.
The amount of gelatin, minerals, and vitamins in bone broth is going to vary based on the types of bones used and the cooking time of bone broth. That being said, some of the vitamins and minerals in bone broth include[1,2]:
Collagen increases fibroblasts in your dermis which in turn and rearranges the extracellular matrix. In theory, this should therefore plump the skin to decrease the appearance of wrinkles and attacking skin ageing at a cellular level. Studies confirm that oral collagen supplements can increase dermal collagen density.
Aging leads to declines in elastin and collagen fibers and thus resulting in fine lines and wrinkles of the skin. The loss of collagen causes a decrease in the skin thickness, as well as a loss of elasticity and flexibility. Studies show that oral collagen supplements increase skin elasticity.
Oral intake of collagen enhances the moisture content of the skin, especially the stratum corneum, as well as the elasticity of the skin, reducing wrinkling and roughness. Intake of adequate hydration is crucial for skin and not only is bone broth hydrating due to its electrolytes and high water content, oral collagen increases skin hydration.
Beyond the anti-aging effects of collagen, it also shows promising results for the short and long-term use of oral collagen supplements for wound healing. So even if wrinkles are not your concern, the hydration of bone broth and collagen, as well as it’s potential to help with wound healing can make it beneficial for overall skin health.
In rats, gelatin supplementation was found to help protect the gut mucosal wall from damage. We don’t know if it plays out the same in humans, but there is a potential that the gelatin in bone broth could be also protective in humans.
In terms of weight loss for people with obesity, gelatin can have hunger-suppressing effects which may play a role in reducing caloric intake if this effect is maintained when consuming a gelatin diet in the long term. By reducing caloric intake, this can result in weight loss.
Collagen/gelatin supplementation has been studied a lot for it’s potential bone and joint benefits. Supplementation can result in a significant reduction in pain and joint stiffness in those with osteoarthristis as well as those who may have joint pain from intense exercise.
Like discussed earlier, bone broth provides minerals, electrolytes, and vitamins and they exist in an easy-to-absorb form. When added sodium levels are kept low, bone broth contains an ideal balance of sodium and potassium to support cellular health and efficiency and prevent electrolyte imbalance. Some people like to just enjoy a cup of bone broth, and you can think of it like a sports drink! It is hydrating because of the high water content along with electrolytes.
Some people drink bone broth every morning. Personally, drinking broth in the morning makes me gag and I would rather add a scoop of powdered collagen to my coffee every morning (more on the supplements I take daily here). My husband loves to do bone broth in the morning though! I make a lot of recipes that require broth or chicken stock, so using homemade bone broth is an easy (and essentially free) substitute in those recipes. It is also higher in protein and collagen than traditional chicken stock, so it amps up your recipes a bit there!
Bone broth is really quite easy to make. I prefer chicken bone broth– however, you could easily make it with any animal bones. I buy a rotisserie chicken from Costco once a week, and once we have eaten all of the meat off it for lunches and dinners, I will use the rotisserie chicken bones to make homemade bone broth! Here is my post about how I make it with rotisserie chicken bones either on the stove top, crock pot, or Instant Pot:
If you do buy store-bought, just make sure you check the sodium on it. Broths and stocks can be notoriously salty. For example, this really popular store-bought bone broth has 620 mg of sodium in it which is 27% of your recommended daily sodium! They alternatively have a low-sodium version with HALF that amount of sodium. So opt for a low-sodium bone broth if doing store-bought.
Like I said, making it homemade is SO easy, and if you eat things like a rotisserie chicken, you already have bones! All you have to do is cook them for a long time in water! I like to do mine in the crock pot, and it is such a hands-off recipe. And as far as the sodium is concerned, you have a lot more control over the saltiness and can therefore only add a bit so that it isn’t too high in sodium. You also have more control with how long the bones are simmered for with homemade. The brand I listed above has a 14 hour simmer time, but you could simmer yours for 36 hours if you wanted to! Not only would that make it more flavorful, but it will increase the amount of collagen and protein you extract from the bones.
I use bone broth in any recipe I would normally use regular chicken broth or chicken stock. Some faves are my chicken pot pie, my roasted veggie soup, and my chicken sausage ditalini soup!
Chicken broth can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen (for best quality) for 2-3 months. I like to freeze extra bone broth, so I have it on hand for recipes whenever I need it. I love these silicone freezer trays to freeze individual 1 cup cubes of bone broth so it’s super easy to defrost exactly how much I need for a recipe. Alternatively, these deli soup containers are also great for freezing additional bone broth.
I personally prefer doing a scoop of collagen in my coffee every morning as it is flavorless and has 20 grams of collagen vs 5-10 grams in 1 cup of bone broth. There is even a scholarly article that admits that bone broth may not be as good of a collagen source as traditional collagen supplements. However, I love swapping bone broth for regular chicken broth in soup recipes and other recipes because I know it is a way to sneak some extra collagen and protein into the recipe. Plus, making it homemade with bones you would otherwise throw away makes it basically free to make as opposed to buying regular broth from the store. A win for your wallet, skin, and the environment! 🙂
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