Bone broth is packed full of all sorts of nutrients and health benefits. Because of this, it has become trendy lately in holistic health circles. While you can make your own bone broth, this is a lengthy process. It often requires hours of boiling, which not everyone has time for.
Luckily, you can also purchase ready-made bone broth. There are plenty of options on the market. Here are some of our favorites:
Research
Rankings
1. Beef Bone Broth Soup by Kettle & Fire
This beef bone broth by Kettle & Fire is the best bone broth currently available. It is made with 100% grass-fed beef bones and organic vegetables. It is boiled for over 20 hours to ensure all the collagen and amino acids are transferred to the soup.
Plus, it is also non-GMO, gluten-free, and doesn’t contain hormones or additives. Because of these reasons, it’s our number one pick.
2. Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth
This organic bone broth is made from free-range chicken bones – not powders or concentrates. The bones are slowly simmered to ensure the transfer of vitamins and minerals to the soup. It is USDA organic and gluten-free as well.
No salt or sugar is added to this recipe, making it one of the best options on the market.
3. Bare Bones Bone Broth Instant Powder
As one of the first bone broth beverages on the market, this one is still one of the best. It is made with grass-fed beef bones, prebiotic fiber, apple cider vinegar, mushrooms, and freshly ground spices.
It contains no extra additives or flavorings, like MSG. One serving contains 10g of protein and only 50 calories.
4. Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Collagen
For healthier skin, hair, bones, and joints, Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Collagen is a great choice thanks to its diverse range of collagen sources: this supplement contains bone broth from chicken, beef, and turkey, giving it a hefty amount of types I, II, and III collagen.
5. Collagen Peptides & Bone Broth by Warrior Strong Wellness
Most people drink bone broth for the high collagen content. This bone broth includes extra collagen on top of the bone broth, making it an excellent choice for those that are mostly concerned with the collagen content.
This bone broth is made with pasture-raised, grass-fed, non-GMO beef bones and does not contain any harmful preservatives.
6. Swanson Sipping Bone Broth
Swanson does make bone broth to use in making your own soups. However, this one is made for sipping. Each soup is made from non-GMO ingredients, and the chickens are raised with no antibiotics.
7. Beef Bone Broth Powder by LonoLife
For smaller servings of bone broth, this is one of the better options. It is made with grass-fed, pasture-raised beef and fresh veggies.
It also contains no artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives, or flavors. On top of this, it contains no added sugar and is gluten-free, wheat-free, and contains no MSG.
8. Giant Sports Bone Broth Plus Greens and Collagen Peptides
This bone broth powder also contains added greens and collagen. Many customers reported that it also tastes quite good, which is always a huge plus. It can be taken as a cup of satisfying soup or used in your favorite recipes for some added nutrition.
9. Bone Broth Protein Powder by Left Coast Performance
This powder is designed for athletes, but it may be suitable for others as well. It is 100% pure bone broth protein concentrate with no added sugars or carbs. It will not contain the full benefits of bone broth because of this, but it also doesn’t include any carbohydrates.
10. Osso Good Chicken Bone Broth
This chicken broth is made with organic and antibiotic-free chicken, as well as organic veggies. It is sourced mostly from small, family-run farms. It ends up lower in the rankings because of the relatively limited range of collagen types available and the small packaging size.
Category winners
Best bone broth overall: Beef Bone Broth Soup by Kettle & Fire
Kettle & Fire uses a slow simmering process to extract as many nutrients as possible from its beef bones, which come from 100% grass-fed cows. The quality of the ingredients and the processing makes this bone broth our top overall recommendation.
Best bone broth for joint health: Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Collagen
For joint health, you want the highest concentration of collagen that you can get. For that reason, this bone broth powder made by Ancient Nutrition is our recommendation–it augments the collagen content of beef and chicken bone broth with collagen peptides, making it perfectly suited for joint health.
Best bone broth from beef: Beef Bone Broth Soup by Kettle & Fire
Broth from cow bones has a richer, heartier taste and a different collagen profile than bone broth from other sources. When it comes to bone broth from beef, it’s hard to beat the slow-simmered grass-fed beef bone broth in Kettle & Fire.
Best bone broth from chicken: Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth
Chicken-derived bone broth has a lighter, brighter taste and different types of collagen (specifically, more type II collagen) compared to fish or cow bone broth. If this is what you’re looking for, Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth is our favorite chicken bone broth because it’s made directly from free-range chicken bones, versus reconstituted powder or concentrate. Unlike some of its competitors, it already comes in liquid format.
Best bone broth for the keto diet: Beef Bone Broth Soup by Kettle & Fire
Kettle & Fire is perfect for the keto diet because their bone broth uses high-quality 100% grass-fed beef bones, and keeps the sodium content under control, which is nice if you drink bone broth as a beverage on a regular basis. For keto dieters, this is the best option out there.
Best bone broth for gut health: Bare Bones Bone Broth
Bare Bones Bone Broth combines prebiotic fiber, apple cider vinegar, yeast extract, and a range of superfood extracts to make an instant bone broth powder that’s specifically tailored for boosting the function of your gastrointestinal tract.
Who should buy bone broth?
Bone broth is typically drunk for one of two reasons. Firstly, it contains quite a bit of protein, so many people drink it as a protein-packed snack. Secondly, it contains quite a few nutrients that can be hard to get elsewhere, like collagen. This makes many people drink it for the nutritional benefit alone. This is especially true for pregnant women, who often need those extra nutrients even more than the general population.
Both of these reasons are entirely valid.
Bone broth does contain quite a bit of protein and often very little of anything else. Because of this, it can be an excellent alternative to protein powder. It is also a useful snack for those who are eating low-carb for whatever reason. Many people who have diabetes might also choose bone broth as their go-to snack because it contains few carbohydrates.
Bone broth is also very nutrient-dense. It contains stuff like collagen, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other trace elements. The marrow of the bones often contains things like vitamin A, vitamin K2, and zinc. When boiled, the marrow transfers its nutrients to the broth. It “dissolves” to put it simply.
Many people choose to drink bone broth just for the nutritional content because of this. Those who are pregnant may get extra benefit from drinking bone broth, since it contains many of the nutrients you need to make a baby, such as collagen.
Truthfully, there is very little reason not to drink bone broth. We could all be a bit healthier, and bone broth is one way to do that.
How we ranked
As we ranked each bone broth, we first considered the quality of the ingredients. You can get bone broth that contains excellent ingredients, such as grass-fed beef bones and organic veggies. On the other hand, you can also find beef broth that contains inferior ingredients.
Bone broth is one of those products where quality matters. The fats and nutrients in the bone broth result directly from what the animal was eating and how the veggies were grown. For example, grass-fed cows will have bones higher in omega-3 fatty acids, which are the good fats that you want. Cows that eat grain will have bones higher in omega-6 fatty acids, which are tied to several health problems.
If you’re going to drink bone broth, the quality matters. Because of that, we ranked bone broth with quality ingredients very high on our list, like the Beef Bone Broth Soup by Kettle & Fire and Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth.
We also stayed on the lookout for additives. Making bone broth requires quite a bit of time. Some companies try to take shortcuts by adding additives that decrease the amount of time the bones need to cook. However, these additives sometimes affect the number of nutrients pulled from the bone, which directly affects the quality of the bone broth.
The only additive we didn’t mind appearing in the bone broths we reviewed was vinegar. Vinegar has been used for a long time to make bones “soft” so that they react better to boiling. It is often used in home-made bone broths and may have some benefits of its own.
Finally, we considered how long the bones were cooked when making the broth. Making bone broth is a long process. Often, bones need to be cooked for 20 or more hours for full effectiveness. Some companies will try to cut corners and cook the bones for longer.
When it comes to bone broth, longer is better. We preferred brands that cooked their bones from an extended period, like Beef Bone Broth Soup by Kettle & Fire.
Benefits
Bone broth is rich in nutrients of all sorts. Overall, bone broth is one of the most nutritious things you can eat. Of course, the exact nutrition depends mostly on what ingredients you use. Most bone broth also includes veggies of some sort, which will have a direct effect on the overall nutritional composition of a broth.
In general, bone broth is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and other trace minerals. These nutrients come from the bones and, in turn, strengthen your own bones. If your bone broth uses fish bones, they will also be high in iodine, which will transfer to the broth.
The connective tissue in the bones provides glucosamine and chondroitin to the broth. The marrow also contains a variety of nutrients, like vitamin A, vitamin K2, zinc, iron, boron, manganese, and selenium. Often, marrow is also high in omega-3 fatty acids if they come from grass-fed animals.
Almost all animal parts are high in collagen.
When these bones and other ingredients are simmered, they dissolve. This transfers the nutrients into the water, which becomes broth. The best part is that many people don’t get enough of these nutrients in their diet, so drinking the broth can help with your health.
Bone broth may help your digestive system. Your health is quite reliant on your digestive system. Over the years, scientists have linked more and more disorders to your gut’s microbiome.
Bone broth is extremely easy to digest. But it may also be able to help you digest other foods. Bone broth contains a lot of gelatin. Because of this, bone broth will often solidify in the fridge. However, this gelatin can also bind to the water in your intestines, which can help food move through your gut more easily.
Furthermore, studies have found that gelatin can protect the mucus lining of your digestive tract. While this particular study was done on rats, it is thought to have a similar effect on humans (1). We’ll be watching for more research in this area.
The amino acids in gelatin may also help improve the function of the intestinal walls, which transfer nutrients into your bloodstream. In other words, it may help your body absorb more nutrients from your diet. It has been known to prevent and reverse “leaky gut” syndrome for this reason (2).
Bone broth may improve joint health. Many of the nutrients in bone broth are the same nutrients your body needs to stay healthy, including collagen. While simmering, this collagen is broken into gelatin. Gelatin is then broken-down during digestion into essential amino acids that support joint health.
Most importantly, it is broken down in proline and glycine. Your body uses these amino acids to build your connective tissue, which is primarily found in your joints. (These amino acids are also used in your skin and may prevent wrinkles, which we will discuss later.)
Some studies have shown that eating cooked collagen can improve arthritis. One study followed 60 people with rheumatoid arthritis and had them consume chicken collagen for three months. By the end of the trial, all patients had shown significant improvement. Four even showed complete remission (3)!
Bone broth also contains glucosamine and chondroitin, which are found in cartilage. Lots of studies have shown that these substances can decrease joint pain and significantly lessen symptoms of arthritis (4, 5, 6).
In this way, bone broth is doubly effective against joint problems.
Bone broth may help fight inflammation. Bone broth is full of tons of amino acids. Two of these are glycine and arginine. Both of these amino acids have been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory effects (7).
Arginine has been shown to have a particularly strong effect against inflammation associated with obesity. One study found that obese women with higher levels of arginine in their blood had significantly decreased inflammation (8). There was also another study done in rats that showed a similar effect (9).
Bone broth may help you lose weight. On top of fighting inflammation associated with obesity, bone broth may help you lose weight. This is because it is typically very high in protein, which makes you feel full. However, it is very low in calories.
Studies have found that eating broth-based soup can increase your overall fullness. This, in turn, decreases the amount of food you eat and can lead to weight loss (10). Bone broth contains gelatin in particular, which is often found in weight loss pills because it promotes fullness (11).
One study followed 53 men and found that collagen helped increase muscle mass while decreasing body fat when combined with strength training (12).
As you can see, the evidence is quite overwhelming that the ingredients in bone broth promote weight loss.
Bone broth may help you sleep. While you may not consider bone broth as your typical night time relaxation drink, you may want to consider adding it to your routine.
Bone broth is quite high in glycine, which can help you feel relaxed. Because of this, it can promote sleep (13, 14).
If you have particular difficulties sleeping, one study discovered that taking 3 grams of glycine can help significantly (15). They discovered that it helped participants fall asleep fast and sleep through the night more often.
Bone broth may help improve skin elasticity. Bone broth can also help increase your skin elasticity, which can reduce the appearance of wrinkles. This is because bone broth is high in collagen. Collagen supplements have long been shown to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and decrease apparent aging (16).
One particular study found that women 35 and older experience a significant reduction in wrinkle depth after taking a collagen supplement for 12 weeks (17). Other studies have mirrored these results (18).
Bone broth will likely have a similar effect because of the high amount of collagen it contains.
Side effects
Bone broths don’t all contain the same nutritional profile. The nutrients in a bone broth depend heavily on the ingredients it is made with. Grass-fed beef bones will have a different nutritional value than beef fed grain.
All broth usually contains veggies, but the exact veggies used vary quite a bit. The nutritional content is going to change substantially if different vegetables are used.
Because of this, you don’t know exactly what you’re getting unless you read the ingredient list and research where the meat and bones came from. You can’t just pick up any bone broth off the shelf and expect it to provide all the health effects we’ve discussed.
Bone broth has not been studied. While many of the nutrients in bone broth have been studied, the bone broth itself has not. This means many of the benefits are assumed, but not derived from studies. While you would imagine that the gelatin in bone broth would have the same effects as gelatin found in supplements, this may not be the case.
Recommended dosage
There have been no studies done on the dosage of bone broth needed to create a benefit. There is no straightforward answer to this question.
Most people drink about a cup a day. This is the serving size of most bone broth products as well. However, the specific product you purchase may have a different serving size, so be sure to check.
For maximum benefit, drink a serving size a day.
Of course, some is better than none in most cases. If you miss a day, just pick it back up again the next day. Bone broth can be helpful in even minimal amounts.
FAQ
When should I drink bone broth?
Bone broth may be able to help you sleep at night, but only if you’ve recently drunk it. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you may want to consider drinking bone broth a few hours before you go to bed. It is also a great late-night snack since it is low in calories.
At the same time, bone broth may be better absorbed in the morning before you eat anything else. Of course, how well bone broth is absorbed depends on a variety of factors, such as your genetics and the foods you’ve eaten in the last 24 hours.
It doesn’t particularly depend on when you drink the bone broth as long as you drink it.
Is bone broth the same as stock?
Yes and no. Decades ago, the two terms were used interchangeably, and both were the same. However, as more people began to get their broth and stock from the store instead of making it, the terms began to take on different meanings.
Not all stock at the store is made from bones, and not all stock is cooked as slow as bone broth, which means it will likely contain fewer nutrients. Today, the terms are used interchangeably by some still, and some companies may have their own definition.
What does bone broth taste like?
It tastes like broth. Imagine drink chicken noodle soup, but without bits of chicken or noodles – that’s the broth.
The exact taste will depend on how it is made. If you make it with just salt and pepper, it will be pretty bland. Many companies add in vegetables and an array of other ingredients, though, which do add some flavor.
Not all bone broth tastes similar because of this. If you can’t stand the taste of one brand, you may still be able to find a bone broth you like.
Is it okay to drink bone broth every day?
Yes. Bone broth is nutritious and doesn’t have side effects. Just watch your sodium intake if the bone broth you’re drinking is high in salt.
How much bone broth should you drink daily?
A cup or one serving should be plenty to reap the benefits of bone broth. As long as you maintain a balanced diet, you really can’t drink too much bone broth, though.
Why do they add apple cider vinegar to bone broth?
The apple cider vinegar is a prevalent ingredient in bone broth because it helps pull some of the nutrients out of the bones. In general, bone broth with apple cider vinegar in it is going to be more nutritious than one without vinegar.
Plus, apple cider vinegar has plenty of health benefits on its own.
Is it okay to add salt to bone broth?
In most cases, salt is added to bone broth while it is cooking. A moderate amount of salt is fine. Everyone needs a bit of salt for their body to function correctly.
However, you don’t want to overeat sodium, since that can create problems of its own. If you feel like your bone broth needs a bit of salt, check the label to see how much salt was added while it was cooking. If it wasn’t much, feel free to add a bit of salt.
Does bone broth work?
The ingredients in bone broth have long been shown to have benefits. While bone broth hasn’t been studied directly, many of the things in bone broth have – and the results have been very promising.
While we can’t promise that bone broth is going to cure your arthritis or fix your insomnia, it really can’t hurt. Even if you get no benefits often associated with bone broth, the extra protein and low-calorie snack are still helpful. There isn’t a reason not to try it.
Is store-bought bone broth good?
It depends on the particular bone broth you purchase. Some bone broth is quite good, with high-quality ingredients and plenty of nutrients. However, this isn’t true for all store-bought bone broth. It is essential to do your research and ensure you’re purchasing the best bone broth you possibly can.
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Recap
Bone broth is becoming more and more popular due to its array of health benefits. It may be able to support your joints, help you sleep, and even provide the boost you need to lose a few pounds. Plus, it has very few side effects and is extremely safe.
Not all bone broth is made equal, though. It should be made using bones from grass-fed animals and organic veggies. Otherwise, it will not be as nutritious as it could be.
For BodyNutrition’s #1 bone broth, click here.
