Protein powder is a massive multi-billion-dollar industry in our modern world. The great thing about this is that it shows just how many people want to boost their health in some way. The terrifying thing, though, is knowing so many of these protein powders are simply awful for you.

Many protein powders have traces of heavy metals, genetically modified organisms, way too much sugar, and plenty of artificial dyes or preservatives. These don’t qualify as health drinks; they’re health hazards.

Others, however, can not only improve your protein intake, but also contribute to your overall health and wellness.

So how do we even begin to choose?

There’s a newer powder on the market that’s making a big splash in the health and wellness community: bone broth powder. Powdered bone broth allows you to benefit from the wellness powerhouse that is bone broth quickly and conveniently each day, and you can find it completely devoid of those scary ingredients above.

Plus, it’s super high in protein.

The concept of a bone broth powder may seem completely strange to many people – and if you were being honest, it may even sound a bit gross (spoiler alert: it’s actually delicious!). So let me introduce it to you. I’m going to show you why I love it so much and why you will too.

Benefits of Bone Broth Powder

The bone broth protein powder benefits are largely the same as regular bone broth benefits.

You see, optimal health and wellness is all about variety. If we ate the same 3 vegetables in rotation, we would be missing out on countless nutrients. In the same way, we lose beneficial nutrition whenever we toss out part of the animal – like the bones.

We obviously cannot eat them directly, so making bone broth is the way to include their unique nutrient profile into our daily lives. Here’s what we can get from bone broth:

Benefit #1: Nutrients Galore!

First up: the bones of animals are packed with valuable nutrients, especially essential minerals and amino acids. These include:

  • Collagen
  • Gelatin
  • Glutamine
  • Proline
  • Glycine
  • Chondroitin
  • Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)
  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium
  • Zinc
  • Iron
  • Potassium
  • Copper
  • Phosphorus
  • Manganese
  • And more

Benefit #2: Improved Health

So what do all those nutrients help your body do? Here’s an overview of direct ways bone broth can benefit your health:

  • Strengthen your immune system
  • Aid in digestion
  • Regulate your blood sugar
  • Boost skin health
  • Improve bones and joints
  • Promote health of the eyes
  • Uplift your mood

Benefit #3: Gut-Friendly Support

One of the reasons bone broth is so beneficial to our bodies is its ability to heal our guts.

The gut is the main hub for most of your immune system. The lining of your gut is especially important, yet that’s where most of us have issues due to rounds of antibiotics, digestive disorders, poor food choices, too much stress, and the list goes on.

The amino acids in bone broth can actually fix a leaky, problematic gut lining. Once your gut is back on track, your full-body health is taken to a new level. Goodbye inflammation, goodbye fatigue, goodbye hormone issues (and plenty more!)

Benefit #4: Stronger Muscles

This last point on our list of bone broth powder benefits is so connected to the idea of a protein powder, I want to tell you about it on its own. There may be lots of different reasons to consume supplemental protein – but one of the most common is to boost your workout regimen and lose fat and build muscle.

Bone broth nutrients – especially the amino acids – help you build your muscles.

Things like glycine and proline can support muscle building and protein synthesis. So aside from bulking up your actual protein intake, you are also supporting enhanced muscle growth from the inside out.

Why Bone Broth Powder?

Bone broth may be the ultimate superfood, but even if you’re using our super easy method to make it, it still takes time. And if you want to benefit from the bone broth regularly, you need to be making it regularly.

Powdered bone broth gets rid of these inconvenient downsides but it still allows you to experience many of the benefits of making it homemade, from scratch.

The best bone broth powder is simply dehydrated bone broth. This means you get all the same nutrients, but you don’t have to make it all the time.

Bone Broth Powder vs. Whey vs. Vegan Powders

With so many variations of protein powder on the market, why choose powdered bone broth as your protein supplement? Let me help you make the decision by breaking down some of the pros and cons between bone broth protein vs. whey protein vs. vegan protein powders.

Whey Protein Powder

Whey is the most common in the protein powder universe, so it’s no surprise that it has been heavily studied throughout the years. For the most part, the results are great. Not only is it a complete protein that’s easily digested, but it is also filled with great nutrients.

A downside is how widespread dairy allergies or intolerances are. If you want something dairy-free or even paleo-friendly, whey protein won’t be an option for you.

(Note: To really have a good experience with whey, you’ll need to buy it from a reliable source and ideally, it needs to be from grass-fed cows. Junky whey proteins can also have heavy metals contamination and bad filler ingredients as well. That’s why it’s so important to get your powder from a good source and to read labels.)

Vegan Protein Powder

Many people erroneously equate a vegan diet with insufficient protein intake, but that mindset is so far from the truth. There are lots of wonderful vegan/plant-based protein powder options including:

  • Pea protein
  • Garbanzo protein
  • Pumpkin seed protein
  • And more

For the most part these are safe, easily digested protein options.

The downsides have a lot to do with taste (sometimes they are a little “odd” tasting, but that’s largely brand-dependent) and with muscle growth. Most vegan protein powders will not have the same amino acid profile as whey or powdered bone broth protein.

A quick word on soy protein powder: Soy protein powder is a non-dairy alternative that’s common as well. Avoid it. Soy is highly estrogenic in nature and has been shown to be a massive hormone disruptor for both men and women. There are so many other great vegan powders, don’t mess around with one that can cause you harm.

Bone Broth Protein Powder

First off – the best bone broth powder will be free of common allergens including dairy, gluten, eggs, nuts, etc. This is where bone broth powder wins in the bone broth protein vs. whey protein debate.

But more importantly, bone broth powder is a real food protein supplement. It’s not an extract. It’s just bone broth that’s been dehydrated. All this means is that it is highly absorbable – just like sipping on a hot mug of bone broth.

Plus, you are getting those unique whole food minerals like calcium and magnesium – as well as the amino acids you may be missing with your vegan, plant-based powder.

What to Look for in Bone Broth Powder

If you’re sold on the idea of trying bone broth powder, you need to make sure you’re choosing the right kind. Bone broth itself may be great for you, but you know what’s not great for you? GMOs, artificial colors, preservatives, too much sugar, etc.

At the end of the day, you’re not making this bone broth on your own stove with bones you have purchased. This means you have to be intentional about scouting out potential problems. In order for bone broth powder to be the powerhouse we know it can be, follow these guidelines:

  1. Start with Good Bones  

The whole idea behind bone broth is to soak up all that unique nutrition we would otherwise throw away – but you might as well throw them away if you’re choosing bones from animals that were injected with hormones and antibiotics. They may do more harm than good.

  • Added hormones are endocrine disruptors that can lead to all sorts of health problems, including estrogen dominance in both men and women
  • More antibiotics only increases our already overabundant exposure – leading to poor gut health and a weak immune system

Choose a powdered bone broth that is both hormone and antibiotic free – ideally from organic protein sources which covers all the bases. If the bones are coming from cows, also be sure they are grassfed.

  1. Keep It Low in Sugar

Sometimes a bone broth powder – or really, any type of protein powder! – will be chock full of sugar. It probably tastes like a milkshake, and it’s probably just about as good for you as a milkshake.

If your protein powder is going to make you healthier, it needs to be low in sugar. Plain and simple.

I do understand, though that dehydrated bone broth is something that you’re adding to your regular diet and you want it to taste good. Stevia extract is a great substitute. It’s all-natural and won’t spike your blood sugar.

  1. Skip Artificial Flavors, Colors and Chemical Preservatives

This one is simple: None of these additions are necessary. They add no benefit, only drawbacks. Avoid them.

  1. Watch Out for GMO Ingredients or Bad Fats

Genetically modified anything is cause for alarm – but when you are taking something as repeatedly as you consume protein powder, it is imperative that you steer clear of the GMO.

The first step is to look at the back of the tub. Common ingredients that may signal GMO use are:

  • Anything to do with soy
  • Canola oil

But it doesn’t stop there. You can’t just rely on the ingredient list. Look for non-GMO certification and/or see what testing they use to ensure their product is GMO-free.

Then pay attention to what type fat is in your bone broth powder. Good fats – like omega-3s – are essential for a healthy, uninflamed body. But bad fats like veggie oils, trans fat or hydrogenated oils will wreck your whole system and encourage chronic inflammation.

  1. Choose Great Flavors!

When something tastes bad, you’re not going to drink it. Even the most health enlightened wellness junkie doesn’t like to drink nasty things day in and day out.

Can dehydrated broth from animal bones actually taste delicious? Amazingly, it can! In fact, it can be one of the better tasting options out there. Choose a powdered bone broth company that provides multiple delicious flavors so you don’t get sick of the same taste.

  1. Find a Versatile Option

Another important factor is bone broth powder versatility. Sure, it’s great to be able to drop some in a smoothie or shake it in a shaker bottle – but this can start feeling a bit repetitive. Let’s think outside of the box.

Choose a bone broth powder that incorporates itself well into other recipes. There are so many different ways to do this. Below you will find a wide variety of bone broth protein powder recipes to spark your creativity and imagination:

20 Unexpected Protein Powder Recipes to Try Now

22 Delicious Protein Powder Recipes that are NOT Shakes

Since writing this article, we’ve formulated our very own Superfood Supplements Line for radiant beauty, ironclad immunity, detoxification, and energy. Check it out here.

It All Comes Down to A Trustworthy Source

At the end of the day, the best way to follow these 7 guidelines for truly healthy bone broth powder is to buy yours from a trustworthy source.

Too many brands jump on the health bandwagon without knowing anything at all about true wellness. And that leads to things like greenwashing – when a company uses their marketing to deceptively trick people into believing something is healthy and/or environmentally friendly when it is absolutely not.   

I was looking for a powdered bone broth protein brand that’s transparent with its ingredients and testing, so I’ve chosen Ancient Nutrition (which you can actually find in our online store!).

Outside of being fabulously healthy and safe, it also has an amazing variety of flavors – from the usual chocolate or vanilla to the tasty banana crème.

Enjoying Your Bone Broth Powder

It’s time to make a protein supplement really work for you. Bone broth powder benefits will do just that with its varied amino acids and minerals, gut-healing capabilities, and ability to boost your muscles.

I’d love to hear what you think about powdered bone broth. Have you given bone broth powder a try? What did you think about it? Do you have any favorite bone broth protein powder recipes? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts!

Sources:

https://elevays.com/the-bone-broth-diet/

https://elevays.com/bone-broth-immunity/

http://www.joshgitalis.com/your-definitive-guide-to-protein-powders/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Geo7H-x1Q2g

https://www.pharmaca.com/projectwellness/buyers-guide-choosing-a-protein-powder/

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