Bone Broth
Collagen
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Time to read 8 min
Bone broth has been used for centuries in traditional cooking, but in recent years it has re-emerged as a daily wellness staple. From gut health to glowing skin, it’s praised as a simple yet powerful way to nourish your body. But what exactly makes bone broth so beneficial, and why should you consider adding it to your daily routine? Let’s break it down.
Table of Content
Bone broth is a nutrient-rich liquid made by simmering animal bones, cartilage, and connective tissue for several hours (sometimes up to 24). Unlike standard stock, this long cooking process extracts amino acids, minerals, and collagen from the bones, giving bone broth its impressive nutritional profile.
Bone broth can be made from chicken, beef, fish, or even lamb bones, each bringing a slightly different nutrient balance and flavour. Whether you sip it warm as a drink or use it as a base in soups, sauces, or stews, it’s one of the most versatile ways to support your health naturally.
The reason bone broth has gained so much attention is because of its unique nutrient content. Here are some of the star players you’ll find:
Together, these nutrients make bone broth more than just a comforting drink — it’s a daily dose of building blocks your body can put to good use.
Bone broth is often described as “gut healing” because gelatin helps support the protective lining of the digestive tract. This can reduce irritation and improve digestion. The amino acid glutamine also plays a role in maintaining a healthy gut lining, which is important for nutrient absorption and reducing inflammation.
The collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin in bone broth provide raw materials for cartilage and connective tissues. While bone broth isn’t a magic cure for arthritis, many people find regular consumption helps them feel more mobile and comfortable in their joints.
Collagen is the protein that keeps skin firm, smooth, and elastic. Over time, natural collagen production declines, which leads to wrinkles and sagging. By regularly consuming bone broth, you’re giving your body the amino acids needed to maintain collagen levels — supporting healthier, more youthful-looking skin.
Because bone broth is rich in amino acids and minerals, it’s often turned to during times of illness. Glycine, for instance, has anti-inflammatory properties, while minerals like zinc and magnesium support immune function. That’s why chicken soup has long been considered a home remedy for colds — it’s essentially bone broth in disguise.
Sipping a warm cup of bone broth doesn’t just comfort you, it also rehydrates you. Thanks to its natural electrolyte content (sodium, potassium, and magnesium), bone broth helps replenish what you lose through daily activity, sweating, or even fasting.
Chronic inflammation is linked to many health concerns, from joint pain to skin flare-ups. The amino acids in bone broth, particularly glycine and arginine, are known for their ability to calm inflammation and support overall recovery.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but most people benefit from 1–2 cups per day. This amount is enough to give your body a steady supply of collagen, amino acids, and minerals without overloading your diet.
Some people enjoy a small cup in the morning as a replacement for coffee, while others sip it in the evening as a soothing bedtime ritual. If you’re using it to support joint health or skin, consistency is key — the benefits come from daily use over time, not just an occasional cup.
When you drink bone broth depends on your goals:
You can also use bone broth as the base for soups, stews, or even cooking grains for an easy way to add nutrients into your meals.
Drinking bone broth daily is an easy and effective way to support your gut, joints, skin, and overall well-being. It delivers collagen, amino acids, and minerals in a form your body can use right away. While it’s not a cure-all, adding 1–2 cups of bone broth into your routine can be a simple step towards feeling nourished and energised.
Whether you sip it straight from a mug or sneak it into recipes, bone broth proves that sometimes the oldest traditions really are the most powerful.
Hunter & Gather
Hunter & Gather are an ancestrally-inspired lifestyle brand that fuses ancestral wisdom and modern innovation to guide your journey to better health. Our mission is to give you the tools to thrive for life. We create real food and supplements that are free from refined sugar, grains and inflammatory seed oils, while championing premium quality and taste.
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, there are useful culinary differences.
Broth is usually made by simmering meat (sometimes with a few bones) for a relatively short time (often 45–120 minutes). It’s typically seasoned, light in body, and designed to be sipped or served as a finished soup base.
Stock is made primarily from bones (plus aromatics) simmered longer (2–4 hours for poultry/beef; less for fish). It’s usually unsalted because chefs reduce it into sauces; it sets into a soft gel when chilled thanks to dissolved collagen (gelatin).
Bone broth is essentially stock cooked even longer (often 8–24 hours, or pressure-cooked to save time). The extended extraction yields a richer gelatin content and a fuller, savoury mouthfeel that many people enjoy as a hot drink. Bone broth also usually includes some vegetables and herbs, like rosemary.
A quick home test: chill it overnight, if it jiggles, it’s higher in gelatin (a hallmark of good stock/bone broth). For cooking, broth works when you want a ready-to-serve soup; stock or bone broth shine when you want body and gloss in stews, gravies, and pan sauces.
Bone broth can support a fat-loss plan, not by “melting fat,” but by helping you manage appetite and total energy intake.
First, it’s high in protein, which can increase satiety compared with low-protein beverages.
Second, it’s savoury and warm, which can reduce hedonic snacking between meals.
Third, it’s easy to swap into cooking: using bone broth to braise veg or thin sauces adds flavour and protein with minimal calories versus creamy bases.
The practical strategies we like: sip a mug before meals to create a gentle “fullness signal”; build broth-based lunches (soups with shredded chicken/veg); or use it to cook grains/legumes so every bite delivers extra protein.
Importantly, fat loss still hinges on a sustained energy deficit plus adequate protein and resistance training to protect lean mass; broth helps you stick to that plan.
Timelines vary with what you’re looking to improve and how much protein/gelatin your broth actually provides (homemade and branded broths range widely). For skin appearance, the best evidence comes from collagen peptide trials (a purified, standardised form of what broth contains in variable amounts). Several RCTs report improved elasticity/hydration in 8–12 weeks with daily collagen peptides; while bone broth isn’t identical to those products, a consistent daily intake that delivers comparable protein/gelatin may track similar timelines for some people. For tendon/ligament support, a crossover study found 15 g gelatin + vitamin C about 1 hour before loading increased markers of collagen synthesis; athletes often use that timing around rehab or plyometrics. For digestion/comfort, people often report changes within 2–4 weeks simply from swapping in a warm, protein-rich, lower-energy-density meal component and reducing trigger foods — though rigorous RCTs on bone broth specifically are limited. Practically, we suggest: target 1–2 cups daily, choose options with clearly stated protein (~8–12 g per cup), and give it 8–12 weeks before judging skin or joint outcomes. Track simple markers (skin hydration feel, morning stiffness, training soreness). If you want trial-like precision, consider layering in a standardised collagen peptide supplement alongside broth for 8–12 weeks, especially for skin-focused goals — always within a balanced diet.
For most healthy adults, bone broth can fit comfortably into a balanced diet during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
Each serving of Hunter & Gather Grass-Fed Beef Bone Broth provides around 15 g of protein with naturally occurring collagen, glycine and glutamine, made from grass-fed European beef bones simmered with vegetables and herbs and without unnecessary additives (no yeast extract/fillers). That makes it a tidy, real-food way to add protein and collagen-building amino acids when appetite is variable or you want something warm and savoury.
Collagen-building amino acids (glycine, proline, hydroxyproline) provide the raw materials for collagen, your body’s scaffolding protein that remodels throughout pregnancy in the uterus, abdominal wall, skin and pelvic floor. Consistent intake of these amino acids supports ongoing collagen turnover during this rapid tissue change.
Glycine specifically is considered “conditionally indispensable” in late gestation, your physiological demand rises, so providing glycine via real food can help cover needs when requirements increase.
Glutamine, which is naturally occurring in bone broth is heavily used by gut and immune cells; human trials suggest it can support intestinal barrier integrity, which many find helpful when digestion is sensitive in pregnancy.
Easy, one-handed nourishment: Each serving of Hunter & Gather’s broth delivers ~15 g protein with naturally occurring collagen, glycine and glutamine, useful when appetite and time are hit-and-miss. Protein supplies the amino acids needed for tissue repair after birth.
For skin support support improvements in skin hydration and elasticity over 8–12 weeks, a helpful benchmark for setting expectations while using broth as a real-food companion.
Breastfeeding raises overall fluid and nutrient demands. A warm, savoury mug of broth contributes fluids plus protein without added sugar or emulsifiers, which many mums prefer to sweet drinks or ultra-processed snacks.
