Bone broth is genuinely nutritious, offering about 9 grams of protein and only 50 calories per cup. It delivers amino acids that support your joints, gut, and skin, though it’s not the miracle cure some wellness influencers claim. The real benefits are meaningful but moderate, and a few caveats are worth knowing about.
What Makes Bone Broth Different
Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones (typically chicken, beef, or turkey) for around 24 hours, much longer than a regular stock, which cooks for 4 to 6 hours. That extended cooking time breaks down connective tissue and cartilage, pulling collagen, amino acids, and minerals into the liquid. The result is a richer, more gelatinous broth that contains compounds you won’t find in a standard chicken soup.
The Amino Acids That Matter
The real nutritional story of bone broth is its amino acid profile. Glycine is the most abundant, measuring around 3.7 to 4.1 milligrams per gram of broth depending on the animal source. Proline and hydroxyproline follow close behind. Chicken broth tends to have slightly higher concentrations across all three amino acids than beef or turkey.
These three amino acids are the building blocks your body uses to produce collagen, the structural protein in your skin, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Your body can make glycine on its own, but not always enough to keep up with demand, especially as you age. Getting extra through food gives your body more raw material to work with.
Bone broth also contains naturally occurring glucosamine and chondroitin, two compounds commonly sold as joint supplements. They support cartilage structure and function, which is why bone broth has a reputation as a joint-friendly food.
Joint Pain and Stiffness
Clinical studies on collagen supplementation show it can reduce joint pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis and in physically active adults. The collagen in bone broth works through the same mechanism: your body absorbs it as smaller peptides, which may stimulate your own collagen production and help maintain the flexible tissue that cushions your joints.
There’s an important caveat, though. Bone broth delivers lower, less consistent levels of these amino acids compared to a standardized collagen supplement. The exact amount you get depends on which bones were used, how long the broth simmered, and whether vinegar was added (acid helps leach more nutrients from bone). If you’re drinking bone broth for general health, that variability is fine. If you’re trying to manage a specific joint condition, a collagen supplement gives you a more reliable dose.
Gut Health Benefits
One of bone broth’s more credible health claims involves your gut lining. The glutamine in bone broth is a primary fuel source for the cells that line your intestines. Those cells turn over rapidly and need a steady supply of energy to maintain the tight barrier between your gut contents and your bloodstream.
Glutamine supports that barrier in several ways. It helps regulate the tight junctions between intestinal cells, reducing permeability (sometimes called “leaky gut”). It promotes the production of the mucus layer that protects the gut wall. And it influences immune function in the gut by supporting the growth and activity of immune cells while helping to lower inflammatory signaling molecules and increase anti-inflammatory ones. Research also shows glutamine peptides can improve the diversity and composition of gut bacteria.
Most of this research has been done with concentrated glutamine supplements rather than bone broth specifically. But if your diet is low in glutamine-rich foods (meat, eggs, dairy, beans), bone broth is a useful way to boost your intake.
Skin, Hair, and Collagen
A meta-analysis of 23 randomized controlled trials, published in The American Journal of Medicine and covering nearly 1,500 participants, found that collagen supplements significantly improved skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles. The collagen in bone broth is the same type used in those studies, though again, the dose per cup is lower and less standardized than what the study participants took.
Drinking bone broth regularly won’t replace a skincare routine, but the amino acids it provides do contribute to your body’s collagen production. Over time, that supports the structural integrity of your skin. Younger people with healthy diets will notice less difference than older adults whose natural collagen production has slowed.
What About Minerals?
Bone broth is often promoted as a rich source of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, since those minerals make up actual bone tissue. In practice, the mineral content of most bone broths is surprisingly low. Studies measuring the mineral concentrations have generally found them well below what you’d get from a glass of milk or a serving of leafy greens. The long simmer does extract some minerals, but not as much as the marketing suggests. Don’t rely on bone broth as your primary mineral source.
The Lead Contamination Question
Bones store lead, so it’s reasonable to wonder whether simmering them for 24 hours concentrates that lead in your broth. A study published in Medical Hypotheses measured the lead in chicken bone broth at 7.01 micrograms per liter. Broth made from skin and cartilage (without bones) actually tested higher at 9.5 micrograms per liter. Plain tap water used as a control measured 0.89 micrograms per liter.
These levels are low in absolute terms. For occasional or even daily consumption, the amounts are unlikely to pose a health risk for most adults. However, if you drink multiple cups daily over a long period, or if you’re pregnant or feeding bone broth to small children, the cumulative exposure is worth considering. Using bones from pasture-raised, organic animals may reduce (but not eliminate) lead levels, since the animals have less environmental exposure.
Store-Bought vs. Homemade
Commercial bone broths are convenient but come with trade-offs. Many store-bought options contain 460 milligrams of sodium or more per serving, which adds up quickly if you’re drinking a cup or two a day. Some brands also add flavoring ingredients, sugar, or preservatives that dilute the nutritional benefits.
Homemade bone broth gives you control over sodium, cooking time, and ingredient quality. A basic recipe involves roasting bones, covering them with water and a splash of apple cider vinegar, then simmering for 12 to 24 hours. The vinegar helps extract more collagen and minerals. You can keep sodium minimal by adding salt to taste at the end rather than during cooking. Homemade broth also tends to be more gelatinous, which is a sign of higher collagen content.
If you buy pre-made broth, check the label for protein content (aim for at least 8 to 10 grams per cup) and keep sodium in context with the rest of your daily intake.
How Much to Drink
There’s no established recommended dose for bone broth. Most people who drink it regularly have one to two cups per day, either on its own or as a base for soups and grains. That’s enough to contribute meaningful amounts of glycine, proline, and glutamine without overdoing sodium or worrying about lead accumulation. You can use it as a cooking liquid for rice, as a base for sauces, or simply sip it warm as a low-calorie, protein-rich alternative to a snack.
Bone broth works best as one part of a varied diet rather than a standalone solution. It’s a solid source of specific amino acids, a gentle food for sensitive stomachs, and a low-calorie way to add protein. It’s not a replacement for a collagen supplement if you need therapeutic doses, and it won’t single-handedly fix your joints or reverse skin aging. But as a regular dietary habit, the evidence supports real, if modest, benefits.