Why Bone Broth Is Bad for You: Potential Risks (2024)

  • Potential Risks
    • What are the potential risks of bone broth?
  • Bone Broth Protein
    • What is bone broth protein?
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Why Bone Broth Is Bad for You: Potential Risks (1)

Bone broth may not be as nutritious as you may think. It may actually contain heavy metals and harsh chemicals that can harm the body

Bone broth has become trendy in modern wellness culture, with many people claiming that it has amazing health benefits. Made by slowly simmering animal bones and flesh for hours, bone broth is purported to be full of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals such as calcium and magnesium

Proponents of bone broth claim that it has health benefits such as:

  • Promoting healthy hair, skin, and nails (due to the collagen content)
  • Reducing joint pain
  • Helping digestion
  • Strengthening the immune system

However, bone broth may not be as nutritious as you may think. Not only is the protein content quite low, but there is also no evidence that the collagen obtained from bone broth actually helps the body in any way.

What are the potential risks of bone broth?

Bone broth, if not prepared with standard manufacturing protocols, may contain heavy metals and harsh chemicals that can harm the body.

Added lead

Lead is a heavy metal that may settle on vegetables and plants grown on lead-contaminated soil, and cattle may graze on such contaminated vegetables or plants. Therefore, there is a danger of lead contamination in several varieties of bone broth, as well as a risk of lead poisoning. Lead is stored in the bones and may leach into the bone broth.

Glutamic acid sensitivity

According to some studies, bone broth may be high in glutamate. Glutamate may cause adverse effects such as anxiety, restlessness, low energy, mental exhaustion, sleeplessness, and concentration problems, although there is no scientific evidence to prove this.

Other side effects

What is bone broth protein?

Bone broth protein is a dietary supplement that claims to provide your body with the health benefits of bone broth and protein in the form of a convenient powder.

It is made by boiling animal bones, ligaments, tendons, and other nutrient-dense animal components under high pressure and continuous heat, then later dried at lower temperatures and concentrated into powder.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that there is no scientific research regarding the effects of either bone broth or bone broth protein. When it comes to overall health, nothing can replace a balanced diet and regular physical activity.

Why Bone Broth Is Bad for You: Potential Risks (2)

SLIDESHOW

Foods That Aren't as Healthy as You Think See Slideshow

References

Essential and toxic metals in animal bone broths: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5533136/

The Surprising Truth About Bone Broth: https://foodrevolution.org/blog/bone-broth-benefits/

Why Bone Broth Is Bad for You: Potential Risks (2024)

FAQs

Why Bone Broth Is Bad for You: Potential Risks? ›

Added lead. Lead is a heavy metal that may settle on vegetables and plants grown on lead-contaminated soil, and cattle may graze on such contaminated vegetables or plants. Therefore, there is a danger of lead contamination in several varieties of bone broth, as well as a risk of lead poisoning.

What does Mayo Clinic say about bone broth? ›

Bone broth is a good choice to include in your diet along with all the other foods that fight inflammation. Organic chicken or beef bone broths (or make your own) have many beneficial nutrients that will help improve bones and joints, along with all the other benefits.

What do doctors think of bone broth? ›

While bone broth is generally considered safe to consume, there are some potential risks to be aware of. Lead contamination. Some studies show elevated levels of lead in bone broths, which can be harmful to health if consumed in large amounts.

What happens to your body if you drink bone broth everyday? ›

The Bottom Line. Consider incorporating bone broth into your regular routine for its many benefits, including reduced inflammation, improved bone health, better joint support and a healthier gut.

What are adverse reactions to bone broth? ›

3 possible side effects of the bone broth diet

Bloating. Constipation. Nausea. Upset stomach.

What kind of bone broth is healthiest? ›

What is the healthiest bone broth on the market? The healthiest bone broth on the market is the Organic bone broth made by Bluebird Provisions because it is the highest protein with 12 grams with 300 mg potassium and no added filler ingredients. It is also low in sodium and tastes absolutely delicious.

What is healthier than bone broth? ›

Vegetable Broth: Vitamins and Energy

And with all those vitamins yet 0.0 grams of fat and only 55 calories, Freja vegan broth is perfect for a diet focused on nutrient-dense foods. While vegetable broth isn't high in carbs by any means, it does have a few more carbohydrates than bone broth, which is very low in carbs.

Who Cannot drink bone broth? ›

The sodium in bone broth may not be an issue for the average healthy person, Zumpano says, but it could be risky for people who have high blood pressure, heart disease or kidney disease. Always talk to your doctor if you have concerns.

What does bone broth do to your gut? ›

Bone broth reduces inflammation in the gut.

Bone broth is believed to reduce inflammation in the digestive system, which can alleviate some discomfort. This is believed to be linked to the soothing effect of the bone broth and its nutrients. Ask your doctor if incorporating bone broth into your diet is right for you.

Is store-bought bone broth healthy? ›

The bones used to make commercial broth may contain high levels of heavy metals, which could make their way into the broth. However, homemade or store-bought bone broth levels are very low and unlikely to cause health problems.

Is bone broth debunked? ›

Not only is the protein content quite low, but there is also no evidence that the collagen obtained from bone broth actually helps the body in any way.

Is too much bone broth unhealthy? ›

Also, most bone broths are high in sodium, which can be bad for your heart if you have too much. One serving of broth can provide about 20% of your daily sodium requirement, depending on the recipe.

What is the 2 week bone broth diet? ›

The Bone Broth Diet is a 21-day diet plan that combines 5 days of a low-carb, Paleo diet with 2 days of bone broth fasting per week. Research isn't clear if this will help you lose weight, so it may be just as beneficial to reduce your overall calorie intake instead.

What is the disadvantage of bone broth? ›

The potential risks with bone broth are histamine intolerance, lead and heavy metals and glutamate sensitivity. These pale in comparison to the number one risk: fake bone broth. Yes, you read that correctly. Most store bought or online versions (including those in soup) are mislabeled junk that are bad for your health.

How to know if bone broth is bad? ›

You can tell if bone broth has gone bad for looking at it and smelling it. If you smell anything off or if there is mold growing on your broth then it most certainly is off. A lot of the time these two things are not present, and you are still concerned. In this case you should take a tiny sip and see how it tastes.

Can bone broth cause inflammation? ›

Consuming broth that is high in collagen can help replenish our collagen levels and keep us looking younger for longer. If you're looking to reduce inflammation, bone broth is the answer. It's packed with beneficial amino acids, like glycine and arginine, which have impressive anti-inflammatory properties.

Is store-bought bone broth good for you? ›

The bones used to make commercial broth may contain high levels of heavy metals, which could make their way into the broth. However, homemade or store-bought bone broth levels are very low and unlikely to cause health problems.

How much bone broth should I drink per day? ›

Thankfully, the collagen and amino acids in bone broth are incredibly beneficial for joint aches and pains. While everyone is different, we've seen customers rave about joint pain disappearing with regular bone broth consumption. To see benefits for joints and cartilage, we suggest drinking 2-4 cups of broth per day.

Is bone broth really good for your gut? ›

It may benefit the digestive system

A healthy digestive tract is essential for well-being. Bone broth is easy to digest and may help prevent inflammation related to your digestive tract. Experiments on animals with colitis have suggested that gelatin may protect and heal the mucosal lining of the digestive tract.

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