Best Bone Broths? ConsumerLab Shows How Much Collagen is Really in Bone Broths.

White Plains, NY, April 15, 2025 -- Bone broth can be a good source of protein, particularly collagen. However, recent tests by ConsumerLab show that collagen levels ranged from just 1 gram to 6 grams per cup and only 6 out of 10 popular bone broth products could be Approved for quality. Among products that were Approved, ConsumerLab selected a Top Pick beef bone broth and chicken bone broth based on quality, taste, and value.

Key Findings:

• Less protein, more sodium found: Two bone broth products (one chicken and one beef) were NOT Approved because they provided much less protein than listed – just 65% to 85% of the protein claimed on the label. One of these products also contained almost 22% more sodium than listed.
• Where’s the collagen? One bone broth could not be Approved because it provided only 1.3 grams of collagen per cup, while most other provided about 4 grams (or as much as 6 grams, in one case).
• Not real bone broth? A fourth product could not be Approved because it was actually a blend of ingredients resembling bone broth but not traditional bone broth.
• Good news: Although lead can occur in bone broth, none of the tested products was found to be contaminated with concerning amounts of lead or other heavy metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, and mercury.

Access the Full Report:

ConsumerLab’s full Bone Broth Review is online and accessible to ConsumerLab.com members – currently over 100,000 individual subscribers and thousands more with access through libraries, schools, and medical centers.

The report includes test results and comparisons for 10 beef and chick bone broth products including liquids and powders which were selected for testing by ConsumerLab: Bare Bones Instant Bone Broth - Beef Flavored, Bonafide Provisions Organic Beef Bone Broth, Bonafide Provisions Organic Chicken Bone Broth, Kettle & Fire Classic Beef Bone Broth, Kettle & Fire Classic Chicken Bone Broth, Kirkland Signature [Costco] Organic Chicken Sipping Bone Broth, Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth Beef, Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth Chicken with Sea Salt, Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth Unsalted Chicken, and Swanson Bone Broth - Chicken.

The review also discusses the clinical evidence for the potential health benefits of bone broth, including “boosting” the immune system and reducing cold symptoms, as well as suggested benefits based on the collagen provided by bone broth, such as reducing joint pain or improving hair, skin, and nails. It also discusses the typical amount of collagen found in bone broth, what to look for on labels, the best way to store bone broth, and cautions to consider when consuming bone broth.

A video that explains ConsumerLab’s findings and provides expert tips for selecting the best bone broth is freely available.

Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. It has reviewed over 7,000 products and has published Product Reviews covering nearly every popular category of dietary supplements and health foods.

Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to continually updated reviews of nearly every popular type of dietary supplement and health food, answers to reader questions, and product recalls and warnings. ConsumerLab also provides independent product testing through its voluntary Quality Certification Program. The company is privately held and based in New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.

What Our Tests of Bone Broth Revealed — Dr. Tod Cooperman