I drank bone broth every day for 30 days at 48, and I wasn’t expecting these results

My Persian husband has been drinking bone broth for years. However, I’ve spent much of that time wondering why anybody would voluntarily drink something that looks suspiciously like the water left behind after boiling a chicken.

H takes his broth seriously, especially kaleh pacheh, a traditional Iranian dish made from sheep’s head and legs. It’s a proper breakfast delicacy in some Persian households eaten with naan bread and lime juice added to the broth, although I stay committed to coffee and toast, without anything looking back at me from my bowl.

With Newcastle temperatures dropping, my usual post-gym aches are making themselves known and my skin feeling increasingly dry, I wondered whether H might have a point. At 48, I’m interested in looking after myself while balancing motherhood and regular exercise. So I decided to drink bone broth every day for 30 days, using a combination of Freja Bone Broth and H’s homemade chicken broth.

I wanted to find out whether this traditional food could make any noticeable difference to my appetite, skin, aches and general wellbeing, instead of just accepting claims surrounding collagen and wellness products.

For 30 consecutive days in December 2023, I drank 500 ml of bone broth daily, roughly equivalent to two ordinary mugs. I alternated between Freja and H’s homemade version, depending on what we had available at the time. Some days I drank it in the morning, while on others I had it during the afternoon at work or after the gym. I deliberately kept the timing flexible because I wanted the experiment to fit around family life.

I continued eating my usual meals and attending my regular gym classes, including combat-style workouts and strength training. I wasn’t trying to lose weight, replace meals or follow a restrictive diet and I also kept a daily diary, recording how I felt, especially my appetite between meals, post-exercise aches, skin dryness and general wellbeing. I wasn’t measuring collagen levels or carrying out medical tests, so this was never intended to be a scientific study. The diary just helped me look for patterns over the month rather than relying entirely on memory.

The first week was mostly about getting used to drinking broth. Between looking after seven-year-old Cyrus and squeezing in gym sessions, remembering another daily habit wasn’t always easy. I started dividing my 500 ml into two mugs, drinking them whenever I could find a moment. Freja was useful when I wanted something quick, while H’s homemade version brought garlic, turmeric and ginger flavours that have become part of our British-Persian kitchen.

What surprised me was how comforting I found it. Newcastle in December isn’t forgiving, and a mug of warm, savoury broth felt nicer than another cup of coffee. By the end of the first week, I was beginning to look forward to drinking it rather than treating it as something I had to remember. I hadn’t noticed any major physical changes, but the warmth alone made the experiment more enjoyable than I’d expected.

During the second week, I began noticing that I felt fuller between meals. The afternoon is usually when my concentration starts wandering towards the snack hamper, but I seemed less interested in snacking. I wasn’t deliberately avoiding food or changing what I ate for lunch and dinner. I found that having a mug of broth helped me feel satisfied for longer, especially on busy days when meals weren’t always eaten at the same time.

Bone broth contains protein, although the amount varies considerably between products and homemade recipes. Protein can contribute to feelings of fullness, which might explain some of what I experienced. However, I wasn’t counting calories or measuring my appetite scientifically, so I couldn’t say whether the change was really down to the broth. What mattered was that I felt comfortable with the routine and didn’t have to give up foods I liked to follow it.

By the third week, I began noticing something else in my diary. The aches and stiffness I sometimes experienced after exercise seemed less troublesome. I enjoy combat-style classes, strength training and anything that leaves me feeling I’ve worked hard, although my enthusiasm sometimes exceeds my body’s willingness to cooperate the following morning. I couldn’t establish whether drinking broth was responsible, because exercise intensity, sleep and recovery all influence how our bodies feel. Nevertheless, I seemed to be moving around more comfortably, which was welcome during the colder weather.

My skin also felt better. It seemed less dry and more comfortable around my face, where central heating and winter weather usually leave it feeling tight. Bone broth contains collagen-derived amino acids, but that doesn’t mean drinking it automatically improves skin elasticity or reduces wrinkles. Research into collagen supplements has produced some encouraging findings, although ordinary broth isn’t necessarily equivalent to the preparations used in clinical studies. The British Nutrition Foundation provides useful information about protein and balanced nutrition, which is worth reading before accepting some of the more ambitious claims surrounding collagen products.

By the final week, drinking bone broth had become part of my day, and I no longer needed to remind myself to have it. Looking back through my diary, what struck me most wasn’t any single dramatic improvement but how much more comfortable I felt overall. I was warmer, less bothered by everyday aches and more satisfied between meals. My skin felt better, too, although I hadn’t suddenly acquired the complexion of somebody half my age. I was feeling more like myself, which was welcome after a busy December.

Perhaps some of that came from taking more care over what I was eating, or maybe just having a regular routine helped. Sleep, exercise and other factors could also have influenced the results, and I wasn’t about to credit a mug of broth with solving every problem associated with being a busy mum. I enjoyed the experience and found it surprisingly easy to keep up with. It was also nice to do something for myself that didn’t need me to buy expensive equipment, following complicated instructions or reorganising the house.

Bone broth is made by simmering bones and connective tissues, usually with vegetables and herbs, to produce a rich stock. The resulting liquid can contain protein, gelatin and minerals, although the nutritional content depends on the ingredients and preparation method. It can be a useful addition to meals, particularly soups and stews, but it isn’t nutritionally complete and shouldn’t replace other important sources of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Research specifically examining bone broth remains limited, and there’s insufficient clinical evidence that drinking it repairs the gut lining, treats arthritis or reverses skin ageing. The NHS Eatwell Guide recommends eating a variety of foods rather than relying on individual ingredients for health benefits. That’s worth remembering when a traditional food suddenly becomes a fashionable wellness product. My experiment told me how I felt after drinking broth for a month, but it couldn’t establish exactly what caused those changes.

After 30 days, my answer is yes. I liked the warmth, felt fuller for longer and definitely noticed fewer everyday aches. My skin felt better, and the routine was easy enough to maintain alongside the gym. Freja was useful when I didn’t have time to prepare anything, although H’s homemade version remains my favourite for its Persian flavours. It’s much like the cooking I’ve come to appreciate through recipes such as our Persian kotlet, where food is as much about family traditions as the ingredients themselves.

I wouldn’t claim that bone broth had cured anything, and wouldn’t suggest that everybody needs to drink half a litre of it every day. But I liked trying the experiment, liked how I felt and would happily continue including it in my diet. H will undoubtedly be pleased to hear I’ve embraced one of his food traditions, although I won’t be telling him that too loudly. As for kaleh pacheh at breakfast, I think I’ll leave that pleasure to him and Cyrus.

Occasional stories, experiments, discoveries and questions from Saffron & Cyrus.