Bone broth might feel like a wellness trend, but it’s anything but new. Long before supplements, powders, or convenience foods existed, slow-simmered broths were a cornerstone of traditional diets across cultures. From European kitchens to East Asian cooking, bone broth was valued not just for flavour, but for how it made people feel: nourished, grounded, and restored.
Today, bone broth has found its way back into modern routines. But what actually makes it beneficial, and why does it still hold up in a world full of advanced nutrition options?
Let’s break down the real, evidence-aligned benefits of bone broth without hype, and what to pair it with for better support.
What Is Bone Broth, Exactly?
Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones (often with connective tissue) in water for an extended period, typically 12–24 hours or longer. This slow cooking process allows compounds from bones, cartilage, and marrow to dissolve into the liquid.
Unlike stock, which is cooked quickly and prioritises flavour, bone broth is simmered longer to extract gelatin, amino acids, and minerals. The result is a rich, savoury liquid that solidifies slightly when cooled - a sign of its natural gelatin content.
1. A Natural Source of Collagen and Gelatin
One of the most talked-about benefits of bone broth is its collagen content. During cooking, collagen from bones and connective tissue breaks down into gelatin, which the body can further break into amino acids.
These amino acids, particularly glycine and proline, are involved in maintaining the structure of skin, joints, and connective tissue. This is why bone broth is often associated with skin elasticity, joint comfort, and overall structural support.
While bone broth doesn’t contain massive amounts of top collagen per serving compared to concentrated supplements, it provides collagen in a whole-food form that many people find gentle and easy to incorporate daily.
2. Supports Joints and Everyday Movement
Gelatin and collagen-derived amino acids play a role in the maintenance of cartilage and connective tissue. For people with active lifestyles, bone broth can be a useful addition to support joints over time.
Rather than being a quick fix, bone broth fits best as part of a long-term approach to supporting mobility and comfort.
3. Gentle on the Digestive System
Bone broth is often described as “easy to digest,” and there’s a reason for that. Its simple composition, warm temperature, and liquid form make it well tolerated, especially during times when heavier meals don’t feel appealing.
Gelatin is thought to support the gut lining, and amino acids like glutamine are involved in gut tissue maintenance. This makes bone broth a popular choice during periods of dietary resets, travel, or whenever digestion feels a little off-balance.
4. Provides Key Amino Acids for Recovery and Repair
Bone broth contains several amino acids that play roles beyond muscle protein:
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Glycine, involved in relaxation, sleep routines, and nervous system balance
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Proline, important for connective tissue structure
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Glutamine, used by rapidly dividing cells, including those in the gut
This amino acid profile is one reason many people enjoy bone broth in the evening; it feels calming, grounding, and supportive rather than stimulating.
5. Hydration With More Than Just Water
Because bone broth is water-based and naturally contains electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and small amounts of magnesium, it can support hydration more effectively than plain water alone.
This makes it especially useful:
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During colder months when thirst signals drop
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After sweating
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When plain water feels unappealing
The savoury taste also encourages sipping, which helps with overall fluid intake.
6. A Comforting Way to Support Seasonal Resilience
Across cultures, broth has traditionally been consumed during colder seasons or times of physical stress. While modern research is still emerging, the combination of warmth, amino acids, and minerals helps explain why bone broth is often associated with feeling supported and resilient.
7. Naturally Satiating and Habit-Friendly
Bone broth is surprisingly filling for something so light. The protein content, combined with warmth and savoury flavour, can help curb between-meal snacking while still providing nourishment.
This makes it useful for:
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Morning routines before breakfast
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Mid-afternoon slumps
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Evening wind-down rituals
8. Versatile in the Kitchen (Not Just a Drink)
While sipping bone broth is popular, it’s far from the only way to use it. Bone broth works as:
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A base for soups and stews
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A cooking liquid for grains
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A flavour boost for vegetables and sauces
This versatility means you can benefit from it without adding an extra “task” to your routine, just swap it in where you’d normally use water or stock.
Bone Broth vs Modern Collagen Supplements: What Works Best Today
Bone broth is often praised for its traditional roots, but tradition doesn’t always equal precision. While bone broth does provide collagen in a whole-food format, the actual collagen content can vary widely depending on the type of bones used, cooking time, temperature, and preparation method. In practice, this makes it difficult to know how much collagen you’re really getting from one cup to the next.
High-quality collagen supplements deliver a measured, standardised dose of collagen peptides in every serving. This consistency is key when the goal is long-term support for skin structure, elasticity, and connective tissue. With supplements, you know exactly what you’re taking, every single day.
Most modern collagen supplements also use hydrolysed collagen peptides, which are already broken down into smaller units. This makes them easy to digest and efficient to absorb, without the heaviness or variability that can come with collagen from food sources.
Bone broth contains collagen primarily as gelatin, which still needs to be broken down during digestion. While nourishing, it’s not optimised for targeted collagen delivery in the same way supplements are.
Bone broth can still play a complementary role as a warming, nourishing food. But when the goal is intentional, effective collagen support, modern supplements are the clear choice. They’re formulated for accuracy, efficiency, and long-term use, not just comfort or tradition.
Vital Beauty
While bone broth is a nourishing ritual, Vital Beauty is designed for those who want a more consistent and convenient way to support skin structure, elasticity, and overall beauty from within.
Vital Beauty gives you a fixed, measurable daily serve: 15,000 mg of hydrolysed bovine collagen (Types I, II & III) per serving, plus targeted support ingredients including NR, biotin, keratin, and hyaluronic acid.
If bone broth is your comforting foundation, Vital Beauty is the structured upgrade that fits seamlessly into a busy lifestyle.
