Confused about bone broth vs. collagen? You’re not alone! Despite these two sharing similar health benefits, they’re not the same.
Bone broth has been called liquid sunshine in a mug. Packed with the wisdom of our ancestors, this slow-simmered golden elixir has been nourishing bodies for centuries and remains a staple in many paleo, primal, and whole-food diets.
But lately, its trendy cousin, collagen, has been stealing the spotlight. You’ll find collagen peptides in everything from protein bars and gummies to supplements and skincare.
So, which is better for your health? Are they bitter rivals fighting for your shelf space, or can they both play nice on your wellness team?
Let’s get to know these two better to find out!
WHAT IS BONE BROTH?
Bone broth is a nutrient-rich liquid made by simmering animal bones and connective tissues. As the bones, bone marrow, ligaments, and tendons break down, they slowly release their health-boosting magic into the water, which later becomes broth.
Many bone broth recipes also add tasty herbs, spices, and vegetables to the mix.
WHAT MAKES BONE BROTH HEALTHY?
Our forebears probably didn’t know why bone broth made them feel so good. But their ancestral health wisdom intuitively led them to consume this treasure chest of nutrients as often as possible. 
We now know that bone broth is bursting with:
Collagen. Bone broth contains the highest source of dietary collagen. Depending on the type of bones used, cooking time, and other ingredients, a cup of bone broth may have 6–12 grams of collagen protein.
Amino acids. Bone broth contains nearly 20 amino acids (the building blocks of protein), and over half of them are considered essential amino acids we need to thrive.[*] You’ll find high concentrations of glycine, glutamine, proline, arginine, hydroxylysine, and hydroxyproline in every sip.[*]
Essential minerals, electrolytes, and vitamins. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and sodium give bone broth an electrolyte boost. Other minerals like iron, zinc, and selenium come from bone marrow, just like vitamins A, B2, B12, and E.[*] You’ll also snag healthy nutrients from the veggies, herbs, and spices added to flavor bone broth.
SO, WHAT IS COLLAGEN?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body.[*] It acts like glue to hold everything together — from your skin, intestinal lining, organs, and muscle tissues to your bones. It keeps your skin taut, elastic, and supple and supports joint health.
But here’s the thing: Our body’s collagen production declines as we age. We make less of it, and the quality isn’t that great either.[*] More bad news? The older we get, the faster our collagen breaks down before we can replace it.
This all explains the gradual increase in wrinkles, creaky joints, and aches the more birthday candles we blow out.[*]
Collagen supplements enter the chat. Here’s where modern science comes to
the rescue. Hydrolyzed collagen, or collagen peptides, are a bioavailable source of collagen we can take to boost our body’s stores. You can find collagen powders, supplements, gummies, and more to combat nature’s shortcomings.
So, now that you know more about your options, let’s compare:
BONE BROTH COLLAGEN VS. HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN
Here’s a rundown of how the collagen from bone broth differs from collagen supplements:
BONE BROTH IS MADE WITH BONES, NOT ANIMAL HIDES
Legit bone broth comes from slow simmering animal bones and connective tissue. These are a rich source of several types of collagen your body can use.
However, animal hides (like cow skin) are typically easier and cheaper to get and process than bones, making them the more commercially viable option for large-scale collagen supplement production. Manufacturers must then break down these hides through a series of ultra-processed steps. And hides usually only contain one type of collagen.
BONE BROTH IS LESS PROCESSED
Bone broth’s slow cooking process (and the addition of healthy apple cider vinegar!) naturally breaks down the animal collagen into smaller, easier-to-digest collagen peptides. Your body readily absorbs these and puts them to work building and repairing your collagen stores.
To make collagen supplements from animal hides, they must first be washed and soaked in a chemical solution to make the collagen easier to extract during the boiling process. Once separated, the extracted collagen goes through evaporation, concentrating, drying, and pulverizing stages to get to the finished powder product.
BONE BROTH OFFERS A MORE WELL-ROUNDED NUTRIENT PROFILE
Bone broth boasts collagen protein, gelatin, extra amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Many bone broth recipes also call for adding vegetables, herbs, and anti-inflammatory spices to enhance its nutrient profile even more.
Collagen supplements lack this abundance of health-boosting goodies. Manufacturers often add sugar, artificial sweeteners, GMOs, and synthetic flavorings to compensate for their collagen’s unflavored taste.
Knowing these differences, you may already have an idea of:
BONE BROTH VS. COLLAGEN PEPTIDES: THE BEST CHOICE
Bone broth is your best source of whole-food, super-bioavailable collagen. It’s made from the good stuff, doesn’t undergo chemical processing, and delivers a wealth of nutrients for your health and wellness.
The cherry on top? Now you don’t have to choose between slow-simmered nutrition and convenience.
Bare Bones Broth makes all that simple goodness fit for the modern world — without compromise. Our built-for-real-life products taste better and are better for you, including:
CLASSIC BONE BROTH: THE LIQUID GOLD STANDARD
Let’s face it: we don’t all have time to make our own bone broth.
So, using nothing but the highest quality ingredients, classic stock-making techniques, and a lot of attention to detail, we’re proud to share what we believe to be the best packaged bone broth available. It’s organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, and slow-simmered for 12–18+ hours for maximum taste and nutrition.
You’ll score 10 grams of collagen protein per cup! Our bone broth gels when chilled, the only tangible way to measure the presence of collagen and ensure the efficacy bone broth is praised for.
🙌 Try our Classic Bone Broth in Beef, Chicken, Turkey, and Rosemary & Lemon flavors!
INSTANT BONE BROTH: GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
Ever wish you had a travel-friendly bone broth option? You’re in luck! We make the same delicious, nutrient-dense bone broth in an instant powder mix.
Each paleo and keto-friendly “rip stick” delivers 10 grams of protein and collagen and only takes seconds to mix with hot water.
These naturally low-calorie, low-sugar, super portable protein snacks are an excellent addition to any lunch box, office desk, post-workout regimen, and more. Take your holistic nutrition to the next level with:
- SUSTAINED, ANYTIME ENERGY
- ESSENTIAL HYDRATION
- ON-THE-GO, SATIATING NOURISHMENT
- NO SUGAR CRASH
Our Instant Bone Broth makes the perfect sipping snack, meal base, or seasoning and comes in Beef, Chicken, Ramen, Lemon Ginger, Mushroom, and Thai Coconut flavors.
We’re so proud that you can experience broth as it was meant to be — nourishing, restorative, delicious, and now, super convenient!
💙 Psst! Bone broth isn’t just for sipping or soup. Check out our favorite recipes to learn how to add it to smoothies, overnight oats, popsicles, and more!
BONE BROTH VS. COLLAGEN FAQs
Let’s recap:
DOES BONE BROTH HAVE COLLAGEN?
Absolutely! Bone broth is the best natural, whole-food source of collagen. It’s also loaded with amazing nutrients like gelatin, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.
HOW MUCH COLLAGEN IS IN BONE BROTH?
The amount varies depending on the recipe and ingredients, but generally, you can expect around 6–12 grams of collagen per cup of bone broth.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BONE BROTH AND COLLAGEN?
Bone broth is like a whole-food multivitamin, containing collagen peptides and other nutrients from simmered bones. Collagen is a single protein extracted from various sources like bones and hides using chemical processing. Both offer potential health benefits, but bone broth provides more.
Think of it like consuming a whole fruit you picked from your garden (bone broth) vs. just the juice you bought from the store (collagen).
DO BONE BROTH AND COLLAGEN OFFER THE SAME BENEFITS?
Yes and no. 😊 Since bone broth contains collagen, it covers all the same bases for your skin, hair, nails, joints, gut health, and more.
However, since bone broth packs additional amino acids, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and gelatin, its nutrient profile offers a richer, more holistic health boost.
CAN I TAKE BONE BROTH AND COLLAGEN TOGETHER?
You bet! Combining them empowers you to double down on your collagen intake and capture more incredible health benefits.
THE REAL WINNER OF THIS DEBATE IS YOU
Bone broth and collagen aren’t the same thing, but they are valuable allies in your quest for health and wellness. Our mission at Bare Bones is to meet you where you are and nourish you with real, whole-food-based nutrients in the form that best fits your lifestyle. That’s why we vote for bone broth hands-down.
So, whether you choose our classic bone broth or instant, ready-to-mix sticks, you’ll savor a dose of naturally processed collagen goodness straight from the source — just like our ancestors intended — and feel your best!
