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A Marie Claire report drawing on a dietitian, dermatologist and OB-GYN finds that bone broth contains protein and collagen-derived amino acids, but strong clinical evidence that drinking it improves skin is lacking. Nutritional content varies, and experts advise checking labels, particularly for sodium.
A Marie Claire report on bone broth and skin health says experts do not have strong clinical evidence that drinking the broth directly improves skin hydration, elasticity, firmness or wrinkles. The report, citing a registered dietitian, dermatologist and OB-GYN, says bone broth can contribute protein and amino acids, but its nutritional content varies and it should not be treated as a proven beauty treatment or a replacement for other sources of nutrition.
Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue in water, sometimes with meat, vegetables and seasonings. Registered dietitian Valerie Agyeman told Marie Claire that preparation commonly takes eight to 24 hours or longer to draw out gelatin and other compounds. A cup may contain about five to 10 grams of protein, though the amount depends on the product and how it is made.
Agyeman said bone broth can add protein and amino acids such as glycine and proline, but generally has less protein than a typical serving of chicken, fish or Greek yogurt. She advised treating it as an addition to meals rather than a main protein source. The report also cautions that collagen and mineral levels, including calcium, can vary, and may not be listed separately on product labels.
Dermatologist Morgana Colombo said research has not established that bone broth itself improves skin. Some studies of hydrolyzed collagen supplements have reported modest skin hydration and elasticity improvements, but the findings are mixed. The report stresses that those supplements are not interchangeable with bone broth: the broth’s collagen content varies, and supplement studies use specified doses of collagen peptides.
Skin Claims Outpace the Evidence
The distinction matters for consumers weighing a popular wellness drink against its beauty claims. Bone broth may be a source of protein and amino acids, but the available evidence described in the report does not show that drinking it produces the skin changes attributed to it online. Nor does more collagen intake automatically mean the body will make more collagen in the skin.
Colombo told Marie Claire that collagen production is affected by several factors, including age, genetics, hormones, UV exposure and nutritional status. That makes it difficult to attribute a skin change to one food or drink. For people who enjoy bone broth, it can be part of a diet, but the report does not establish it as a treatment for wrinkles, loss of firmness or other skin concerns.
The same caution applies to bone-health marketing. Bone broth is made from bones, but that does not mean it reliably supplies calcium. The report says getting enough calcium, vitamin D and protein through the overall diet is more relevant; dairy products and calcium-fortified alternatives are more dependable calcium sources.
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A Trend With Older Roots
The report describes bone broth as newly prominent in wellness influencer and social media content, while noting that the practice itself is longstanding. It cites the writer’s family experience of broth being made in Pakistan generations ago. The current trend has attached beauty, gut-health and other broad wellness claims to a familiar food.
Its nutritional profile is not uniform. Ingredients, cooking methods and commercial formulations affect the quantities of protein, collagen and minerals in a serving. That variation limits what consumers can infer from the general label “bone broth” and makes checking a specific product’s nutrition panel useful.
The report also distinguishes bone broth from research on collagen supplements. Findings from studies using standardized collagen peptides do not establish that an ordinary serving of broth will have the same effects. Similarly, research on collagen peptides taken with calcium and vitamin D for postmenopausal bone health does not show that bone broth alone prevents osteoporosis or strengthens bones.
““It can help you get some protein, but it usually doesn’t provide as much as a typical serving of chicken, fish, or Greek yogurt.””
— Valerie Agyeman, registered dietitian, as quoted by Marie Claire
How Much Is in Each Cup?
The report does not provide a single standard nutritional profile for bone broth. Protein, collagen and mineral amounts vary by preparation and brand, and collagen may not appear as a separate figure on the label. The precise dose of collagen in a particular serving can therefore be difficult to compare with the standardized amounts used in supplement studies.
The available source also does not establish that bone broth improves skin or prevents bone disease. Evidence about collagen supplements cannot be assumed to apply to broth, and the report describes research on skin outcomes as mixed. The source material ends while raising potential downsides, so it does not provide further detail on the concern mentioned by the OB-GYN. It does identify sodium as a practical issue, especially for people monitoring blood pressure.
Check Labels Before Making It a Habit
There is no specific research milestone or regulatory action identified in the report. For consumers choosing packaged broth, Agyeman’s advice is to read nutrition labels, compare protein and sodium amounts, and treat the product as one part of a varied diet. People watching their blood pressure may want to pay particular attention to sodium, which can be high in some packaged varieties.
For skin or bone-health concerns, the report supports keeping expectations measured: bone broth has not been shown to deliver those outcomes on its own. Any future assessment of its effects would need research specifically on bone broth, rather than relying on findings from differently formulated collagen supplements.
Key Questions
Does bone broth make skin glow?
The report says strong clinical evidence that drinking bone broth improves skin hydration, elasticity, firmness or wrinkles is lacking. It contains collagen-derived proteins and amino acids, but that does not prove a visible skin benefit.
How much protein is in a cup of bone broth?
A cup may contain about five to 10 grams of protein, according to the report, but amounts vary by preparation and brand. Agyeman said it generally provides less protein than a typical serving of chicken, fish or Greek yogurt.
Is bone broth a good source of calcium?
Not necessarily. The report says relatively little calcium may reach the finished broth, and mineral content varies. Dairy products and calcium-fortified alternatives are described as more reliable calcium sources.
What should I check before buying bone broth?
Check the nutrition label for protein and sodium, since both can vary among products. Sodium deserves particular attention for people monitoring blood pressure.
Source: rss
