Can You Drink Bone Broth for Weight Loss? What to Know

Bone broth has been having a moment. An increasing number of folks are including the ingredient as part of their diet, many in hopes of benefiting from the health claims made about bone broth.

For example, you may have heard that bone broth boosts joint health and reduces joint pain or that it improves digestive health. Or perhaps you’ve heard that drinking bone broth helps with weight loss. 

But can bone broth help you lose weight, for real?  

Well, it’s nuanced. Bone broth contains several health properties that may support weight loss, but it might not be as simple as sipping on a cup every day and going about your daily routine. Join us as we dive into the ins and outs of how exactly bone broth may help you on your weight loss journey.

Bone broth is the liquid that’s made by simmering animal bones, vinegar, and vegetables in water for a long time.

And when we say long, we mean long. Many bone broth recipes call for simmering for up to 24 hours.

This long cooking time is what differentiates bone broth from more conventional types of broth, like the chicken broth that you simmer on your stovetop for a few hours or buy in a box from the store.

Simmering the broth for a long time breaks down the components of the bones and their associated connective tissues like cartilage. This releases a variety of nutrients into the broth.

Bone broth is thought to be a good source of collagen, amino acids, and several minerals, including:

• Calcium

• Sodium

• Iron

• Phosphorus

• Potassium

• Magnesium

Now that we’ve covered the basics of bone broth, let’s explore the bone broth benefits that could help with weight loss.

Bone Broth is a Good Source of Protein

Protein is an important macronutrient that we all need in our diet. We can get protein from a wide variety of sources, including:

• Meat

• Seafood

• Eggs

• Beans, peas, and lentils

• Nuts and seeds

• Soy products

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Doing a little bit of math, that comes out to a little less than 55 grams of protein every day for a person weighing 150 pounds.

When you’re trying to lose weight, a higher protein intake is often recommended. Studies have found increasing protein intake to 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight can aid in weight loss. Using the higher number, that comes out to roughly 109 grams of protein each day for a person weighing 150 pounds.

A 2021 meta-analysis of 37 studies found that participants eating higher amounts of protein lost 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds) more than those who did not consume more protein.

Losing muscle mass is a common phenomenon during the weight loss journey. This may decrease muscle strength and lower your metabolic rate, working against weight loss goals. Protein might be a remedy for that. Research has found that high protein intake helps to preserve muscle mass during weight loss.

So where does that leave us with bone broth? The total protein content of bone broth can vary based on how it’s prepared. Generally speaking, it can contain 5 to 10 grams of protein per cup. 

So at the end of the day, bone broth isn’t going to cover all of your protein needs for weight loss. However, it may be worth adding to your diet plan if you’re looking for additional ways to up your protein intake without adding many calories.

Bone Broth Could Help You Feel Full Faster

Bone broth is low in calories, which is exactly what you’re looking for when you’re dieting. Better yet, bone broth could help you feel full faster than many other low-calorie options. This could have the effect of decreasing food cravings and food intake.

There are two components of bone broth that may impact satiety — or fullness. One of these is protein. Protein has long been known to increase feelings of fullness more than other macronutrients like carbohydrates and fats.

Weight loss studies have found that a high-protein diet increases fullness more than those with a lower protein intake, with some showing that participants consume less food while on a high-protein diet.

The other component that may help you feel full is water, which is a major part of bone broth.

You may have heard that drinking water can help you feel full. On a basic level, this is because water takes up space in your stomach, potentially leading to feelings of fullness.

A 2014 study included 50 women with overweight who were asked to drink 500 milliliters of water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner over a period of eight weeks. In addition to a reduction in body mass index (BMI), participants also reported a reduction in appetite.

Not all of the research on water and appetite is aligned, however. A 2018 study found that drinking three 500-milliliter bottles of water in the time preceding a buffet lunch only reduced appetite in people who were at a normal body weight. Water intake had no impact on the appetite of study participants with overweight or obesity. That said, hydrating before a meal is unlikely to cause any harm.

Bone Broth May Improve Gut Health

Bone broth may help to improve the health of your digestive system. Studies in mice have found that bone broth decreased the symptoms of ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition associated with intestinal inflammation. Of course, more research is needed to verify such effects in humans.

Obesity is also associated with inflammation in the body. It’s theorized that problems with the intestinal barrier, sometimes referred to as a “leaky gut,” allow gut microbes and the substances they produce to pass into other parts of the body, contributing to this inflammation.

A lot of talk around bone broth and digestive health revolves around the amino acids that it contains and how these may impact inflammation and the intestinal barrier.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. The main protein in bone broth is gelatin, a form of collagen. It’s made from heating bones and cartilage for several hours before allowing them to cool.

The most abundant amino acid in gelatin is glycine. Glycine is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, a 2021 study in obese mice found that glycine supplementation both reduced inflammation and improved the function of the intestinal barrier.

Glutamic acid is another amino acid found in bone broth. Your body can naturally convert glutamic acid into glutamine. Researchers have found that glutamine can benefit digestive health by reducing inflammation, supporting healthy gut bacteria, and maintaining the intestinal barrier.

While bone broth can provide several amino acids that are beneficial for gut health, it’s worth remembering that the nutrient content of bone broth can vary based on the way it’s prepared. For example, research from 2019 found that, compared to self-made bone broth, commercially available bone broths were lower in amino acid content.

Bone Broth Increases Hydration

As mentioned earlier, water is a major component of bone broth. In addition to helping you feel full, getting enough water may also help with weight loss.

A 2013 systematic review found that adding increased water consumption to a weight management diet plan led to a reduction in body weight over three to 12 months.

Water is believed to help with weight loss by helping to increase the amount of energy that you expend and increasing fat oxidation. Fat oxidation is the process your body uses to break down fats.

Bone broth may have first come onto your radar via the so-called Bone Broth Diet. This diet plan, which was developed by board-certified naturopathic physician and certified nutrition consultant Kellyann Petrucci, claims to enable you to “Lose up to 15 pounds, 4 inches – and your wrinkles! In just 21 days.”

On a basic level, the Bone Broth Diet is a 21-day diet plan that includes elements of the Paleo diet and intermittent fasting.

For five days a week, diet adherers eat a Paleo-style diet, including bone broth. A Paleo diet is a low-carb diet that emphasizes seafood, lean meats, nuts, and seeds. Non-starchy vegetables and fruits are also on the table.

After five days of Paleo eating, the diet plan calls for two days of fasting, allowing for bone broth consumption on these days.

There’s absolutely no scientific research to support using the Bone Broth Diet to lose weight, but it has gained some hype as a fad diet. 

Reader, beware. Any diet that boasts rapid weight loss is one to examine with a critical eye. It’s  possible that this diet plan could lead to nutritional deficiencies, particularly because Paleo eating excludes sources of important nutrients like whole grains, dairy, and legumes like beans, peas, and lentils.

So how many cups of bone broth should you have each day?

While adding bone broth to your meal plan can be nutritious and could provide several benefits during your weight loss journey, there’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to how much bone broth per day you should have for weight loss.

Instead, aim to add bone broth to a healthy, balanced diet plan. This involves eating a diet that’s rich in fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean sources of protein, and healthy fats.

Also, it’s always a good idea to focus on whole foods.. Whole foods are those that remain as close to their natural state as possible (i.e. unprocessed foods).

Processed foods, especially ultra-processed foods, are not only associated with a higher risk of medical conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but they’re also linked with greater calorie intake and weight gain.

When it comes to a weight loss diet, you may have heard about calorie restriction, or more simply “cutting calories.” To manage obesity, calorie reductions of 500 to 700 calories each day may be recommended. However, because everyone has different individual needs, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about how many calories to cut from your diet.

Want to add a delicious bone broth to your weight loss plan? It’s fairly simple to make bone broth yourself using your slow cooker. Our nourishing chicken bone broth recipe also includes carrots, celery, onion, ginger, and herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano.

Before we put the lid on our discussion of bone broth for weight loss, let’s review some of the important points that we’ve covered. 

• Bone broth is made by boiling animal bones, vinegar, and veggies in water over a long period of time. It’s low in calories and a source of collagen in the form of gelatin, amino acids, and minerals.

• The protein in bone broth could have several health benefits, including promoting weight loss, preserving muscle mass during weight loss, and helping you feel full.

• The water content of bone broth not only provides hydration, but may also boost weight loss as well as help you feel full.

• Some of the amino acids found in bone broth may help to improve gut health and reduce inflammation.

• While bone broth diet plans exist, it’s more sustainable (and likely healthier) to add bone broth to a healthy, balanced diet that focuses on whole foods.

When setting up a weight loss diet plan, it’s important to consult with a healthcare provider. They can help to recommend a diet that meets your nutritional needs and promotes healthy weight loss.