Bone broth has been a staple in kitchens for centuries, but it has recently drawn fresh attention from people tracking their nutrition. One of the most common questions about it is straightforward: how many bone broth calories are in a cup?
The short answer is roughly 30 to 50 calories per 8-ounce cup for most standard preparations, though that number shifts depending on the type of bones used, how long the broth simmers, and what goes into the pot. This article breaks down the full picture: calories by type, protein content, what a real nutrition label shows, how homemade compares to store-bought, and what the research actually says about bone broth's health value.
If you want personalized guidance on how bone broth fits your diet, a doctor near you can help assess it in the context of your specific health needs.
At a Glance: Bone Broth Nutrition Summary
| Topic | Key Facts |
|---|---|
| Calories per cup (8 oz) | 30 to 50 cal (varies by type and preparation) |
| Protein per cup | 6 to 10 g |
| Fat per cup | 0.5 to 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0 to 5 g |
| Key nutrients | Glycine, proline, potassium, sodium, phosphorus |
| Who it suits | People tracking protein, managing weight, following intermittent fasting or keto |
| When to ask a doctor | If managing kidney disease, hypertension, or high cholesterol |
What Is Bone Broth and How Is It Made?
Bone broth is a liquid made by simmering animal bones, most commonly beef, chicken, or pork, in water for an extended period, typically 12 to 24 hours. The long cooking time draws collagen, gelatin, amino acids, and minerals out of the bones and into the liquid.
Unlike regular broth, which is usually made from meat simmered for one to three hours, bone broth relies on bones as the primary source of flavor and nutrition. An acid, usually apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, is often added to help break down the collagen matrix and improve mineral extraction.
The bones most commonly used include knuckle bones, marrow bones, chicken feet, and neck bones. Each contributes a different nutritional profile. Marrow bones add fat and calories. Knuckle and foot bones are rich in collagen but contribute fewer calories. Vegetables, herbs, and spices are often added for flavor without meaningfully changing the calorie count.
Bone Broth Calories Per Cup and Per Serving
One cup (approximately 240 ml) of bone broth typically contains between 30 and 50 calories, according to data from USDA FoodData Central. That range exists because no two batches are identical.
The key variables that shift the calorie count:
- Bone type: Marrow bones are high in fat, adding more calories per serving. Knuckle and foot bones contribute gelatin and amino acids with minimal fat.
- Fat skimming: Bone broth that has been refrigerated and had the solidified fat layer removed will be lower in calories than broth consumed immediately after cooking.
- Cooking duration: Longer simmering extracts more gelatin and minerals. It does not significantly increase calorie content, which is a common misconception.
- Added ingredients: Plain broth made with only bones and water has the lowest calorie count. Commercial products often include concentrated ingredients or additives that raise the final number.
- Serving size: Many commercial cartons define a serving as 8 oz, but people often drink 12 oz or more, which proportionally increases total calories consumed.
Bone Broth Calories by Type
| Type | Calories per 8 oz cup | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef bone broth | 35 to 45 cal | 7 to 9 g | 1 to 2 g |
| Chicken bone broth | 30 to 45 cal | 8 to 10 g | 0.5 to 1.5 g |
| Pork bone broth | 45 to 60 cal | 6 to 9 g | 1.5 to 3 g |
| Fish bone broth | 25 to 35 cal | 5 to 8 g | 0.5 to 1 g |
| Homemade (no salt, fat skimmed) | 30 to 40 cal | 6 to 9 g | 0.5 to 1 g |
| Store-bought (standard commercial) | 40 to 80 cal | 7 to 10 g | 1 to 3 g |
Sources: USDA FoodData Central; representative commercial product labels.
Chicken bone broth tends to be the lowest in fat and among the highest in amino acid content relative to its calorie count. Pork bone broth, which forms the base for dishes like tonkotsu ramen, tends to run higher in calories due to the fat naturally present in pork bones.
How Much Protein Is in Bone Broth?
Most cups of bone broth provide between 6 and 10 grams of protein per 8-ounce serving, which is comparable to one large egg (approximately 6 g) or roughly one-third of a typical Greek yogurt serving.
That protein comes almost entirely from gelatin, a cooked form of collagen. Gelatin is not a complete protein because it lacks adequate amounts of tryptophan and some other essential amino acids. Bone broth works well as a protein supplement within a varied diet, but should not serve as the sole protein source for muscle building or recovery.
For its calorie cost, bone broth delivers protein efficiently. At approximately 40 calories per cup and 9 grams of protein, that works out to roughly 4.4 calories per gram of protein, which compares favorably to many snack foods.
What Kinds of Protein Does Bone Broth Contain?
The dominant amino acids in bone broth are glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, the same amino acids that make up collagen. Glycine has been studied for its potential role in sleep quality and anti-inflammatory pathways. Proline and hydroxyproline are building blocks for connective tissue.
One key nuance: the body does not absorb collagen directly. After digestion, collagen breaks down into individual amino acids, which the body then uses where it needs them. Research from Shaw et al. (Am J Clin Nutr, 2017) found that gelatin supplementation combined with vitamin C increased collagen synthesis markers in study participants, though this was a supplement-dose study, not specifically about drinking broth.
Bone Broth Nutrition Label Breakdown
A representative nutrition label for a standard store-bought chicken bone broth (8 oz / 240 ml serving) looks roughly like this:
| Nutrient | Typical Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 40 to 45 |
| Total Fat | 1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 5 to 10 mg |
| Sodium | 240 to 450 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 1 to 4 g |
| Protein | 9 to 10 g |
| Potassium | 250 to 300 mg |
| Collagen (where listed) | 2 to 5 g |
Source: Representative commercial product labels cross-referenced with USDA FoodData Central.
Sodium is one of the more variable figures on the bone broth nutrition label. Some commercial brands contain between 450 and 600 mg of sodium per cup, roughly 20% of the recommended daily limit, which matters for people managing blood pressure. Homemade bone broth prepared without added salt can contain as little as 50 to 100 mg per cup.
Looking at bone broth nutrition info across brands, one pattern is consistent: products made from grass-fed or pasture-raised bones tend to have more transparent labeling and fewer additives. The phrase "high protein bone broth" on a label is not a regulated claim, so checking the actual grams of protein per serving matters more than the marketing language.
Bone Broth vs. Chicken Broth vs. Stock: Calorie and Nutrition Comparison
These three liquids are often used interchangeably in cooking, but their nutritional profiles differ in meaningful ways.
| Product | Calories (8 oz) | Protein | Collagen/Gelatin | Typical Simmer Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bone broth | 30 to 50 cal | 6 to 10 g | High | 12 to 24 hours |
| Regular chicken broth | 10 to 20 cal | 1 to 2 g | Low | 1 to 3 hours |
| Chicken or beef stock | 20 to 40 cal | 3 to 5 g | Moderate | 3 to 6 hours |
Calories in chicken broth are lower than chicken bone broth calories, and so is the protein content. Regular broth is made primarily from meat and vegetables simmered briefly, extracting flavor but little collagen or gelatin.
Stock sits in the middle: made from bones but simmered for a shorter time than bone broth, it has moderate collagen extraction and a calorie count between the two.
For people tracking protein intake, the calorie-per-gram-of-protein ratio clearly favors bone broth over regular broth or stock.
Does Bone Broth Affect Cholesterol?
Bone broth prepared from marrow-rich bones and consumed without fat removal does contain dietary fat, including a small amount of saturated fat. The fat content per cup is typically 1 to 3 grams for commercial products, which is relatively modest.
Individual responses to dietary fat vary. People managing elevated LDL cholesterol may want to review the fat content per serving on the label and consider preparations where the solidified fat layer has been skimmed after refrigeration. A doctor can advise on individual cases where bone broth cholesterol content is a consideration.
Bone broth contains small amounts of glycine, which some early research suggests may support liver function and lipid metabolism, but this area lacks large clinical trials, and no definitive claims about bone broth's direct effect on cholesterol levels can be made from current evidence.
For questions about cholesterol and diet, speaking with a qualified healthcare provider is the most reliable path to personalized guidance.
Homemade vs. Store-Bought Bone Broth: Nutritional Differences
The nutritional value of homemade bone broth varies batch to batch. The type of bones, simmer time, water volume, and whether fat is skimmed all interact to shape the final nutritional profile.
That said, homemade bone broth generally offers:
- Lower sodium: No added salt means typical sodium levels of 50 to 200 mg per cup, compared to 240 to 600 mg in many commercial products.
- Fewer additives: No yeast extract, natural flavors, or thickeners.
- Variable protein: Without standardized manufacturing, protein content can range from 4 g to 12 g per cup depending on the bone-to-water ratio.
- Higher collagen potential: Using collagen-rich bones such as knuckle, feet, and neck bones, and simmering for 18 to 24 hours with an acid extraction step, yields higher gelatin content than most commercial products.
Store-bought bone broth offers consistency and convenience. Reputable commercial brands use slow-simmered methods that approximate homemade results. When evaluating a product's bone broth nutrition label, the three numbers worth checking first are protein per serving, sodium per serving, and whether collagen content is listed.
A 2019 review by Alcock et al. (Nutrients, 2019) noted that bone broth's ability to provide reliable collagen precursors varies widely by preparation method and ingredient quality, making it difficult to guarantee a consistent dose from broth alone. This finding reinforces the value of checking actual label data rather than assuming all bone broth products are nutritionally equivalent.
Is Bone Broth Good for You? What the Research Says
Bone broth's individual components, including glycine, collagen precursors, potassium, and phosphorus, have documented roles in human health, but research on bone broth as a whole food is still limited. Here is what the available evidence supports, and where it is still building.
Gut health: Glycine plays a role in maintaining the intestinal mucosal lining. Some animal studies and preliminary human research suggest gelatin may support gut barrier integrity, but large clinical trials in humans are lacking.
Joint support: Collagen peptides derived from animal sources have been studied in randomized controlled trials for their effects on joint pain. As noted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, collagen supplements show promise in some joint health studies, though the direct extrapolation to bone broth is not straightforward because dose, bioavailability, and product quality all factor in.
Sleep quality: Glycine has been studied in sleep research. A clinical review by Bannai and Kawai (J Pharmacol Sci, 2012) found that 3 g of glycine taken before bed improved subjective sleep quality in people with insomniac tendencies. Bone broth contains glycine, though the amount per cup varies by preparation and is generally lower than the dose studied.
Anti-inflammatory properties: Glycine and proline have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties in cell studies. No large human trials have confirmed that drinking bone broth at typical serving sizes reduces systemic inflammation markers, so this remains an area of ongoing research.
Skin health: The connection between collagen intake and skin appearance is actively studied. As noted by Shaw et al. (Am J Clin Nutr, 2017), vitamin C paired with gelatin supplementation boosted collagen synthesis markers in an exercise context, though this was a supplement study, not a bone broth study.
The picture that emerges is consistent with what the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health describes: bone broth is a nutritionally sound food with a good protein-to-calorie ratio, and its components have biological relevance, but it is not a substitute for a balanced diet or medical treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there many calories in bone broth? No. Bone broth is a low-calorie food by most standards. A standard 8-ounce cup contains roughly 30 to 50 calories, making it a calorie-efficient protein source. Calorie counts can rise with added fats, higher-fat bones like marrow, or concentrated commercial preparations.
What are the main health benefits of bone broth? Bone broth provides collagen-derived amino acids including glycine and proline, modest amounts of minerals such as potassium and phosphorus, and gelatin that may support gut lining integrity. Research on individual components suggests roles in joint health, sleep quality, and gut support, though clinical evidence specifically on bone broth as a whole food remains limited.
Is bone broth good for anti-inflammatory purposes? The amino acids in bone broth, particularly glycine, have shown anti-inflammatory effects in laboratory and cell studies. Whether drinking bone broth at typical serving sizes produces a measurable anti-inflammatory effect in humans has not been established in large clinical trials. A doctor can advise on individual cases.
How do you calculate bone broth calories? For commercial bone broth, the calories per serving are listed on the nutrition label. For homemade bone broth, an estimate can be made by calculating fat grams multiplied by 9, plus protein grams multiplied by 4. A plain, fat-skimmed homemade broth with approximately 8 g of protein and 1 g of fat per cup yields roughly 37 calories.
The Bottom Line
Bone broth is a low-calorie, moderate-protein food with a favorable nutritional profile for people tracking macros, following intermittent fasting, or looking for a savory alternative to high-calorie drinks. At 30 to 50 calories and 6 to 10 grams of protein per cup, it compares well to regular broth on both counts.
Its collagen-derived amino acids have genuine biological relevance, and the research on glycine's roles in gut health, sleep, and inflammation is promising, though still developing. Treating it as a nutritious addition to a balanced diet, rather than a cure-all, is the framing best supported by current evidence.
Sodium content is the variable most worth watching in commercial products. Checking the bone broth nutrition label for sodium per serving is worthwhile for anyone managing blood pressure or cardiovascular health.
For personalized nutrition advice, an AI healthcare navigator can help orient your questions before a clinical visit. For guidance tailored to a specific health condition or goal, a qualified doctor is the right next step.
References
- Alcock RD, et al. Bone Broth Unlikely to Provide Reliable Collagen Precursors Compared to Supplemental Sources of Collagen Used in Collagen Research. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2144.
- Shaw G, et al. Vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;105(1):136–143.
- Bannai M, Kawai N. New therapeutic strategy for amino acid medicine: glycine improves the quality of sleep. J Pharmacol Sci. 2012;118(2):145–148.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source. Accessed 2025.
- USDA FoodData Central. Bone broth and related food entries. Accessed 2025.
