I drank bone broth for a week to see if it was BS or if it would give me glowing skin
A quick google of the term bone broth, and it’s safe to say that the health trend is still going strong. Stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry, and Salma Hayek have lauded its joint, skin, and hair-boosting benefits. Even my fictional BFF Shailene Woodley is a fan, as she once told David Letterman she drinks bone broth for breakfast.
This isn’t just another overhyped wellness fad, according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman. She says that bone broth is made from chicken and beef bones, both containing collagen, which ultimately helps support hair, skin, and nail health. Bone broth also contains glucosamine, chondroitin sulfates, and other compounds known to properly support joint health.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Joseph Cruise, MD, adds that bone broth also contains essential amino acids, minerals, and nutrients, all of which help improve skin health.
“Bone broth has minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and other nutrients that can keep skin vibrant,” Dr. Cruise tells HelloGiggles. “It also has sulfur, which can be found in nuts, legumes, and eggs, that helps strengthen skin.”
Of course, if bone broth was good enough for two skin care pros, then it definitely was worth trying in real life. Read on to see if guzzling down this celebrity-approved beverage for a week gave me the glowing skin of my dreams.
Day 1
I jumped on the bone broth bandwagon after a recent (not to mention horrific) case of the stomach bug made me a true believer in its gut-boosting benefits. But I’ve never tried this stuff for the sole purpose of improving my skin.
When I was ill, I limited myself to drinking one small half-cup of this stuff. However, for beauty purposes, Dr. Jaliman says to drink as much as you’d like. If you do need a more specific amount as a beginner, she recommends drinking one eight-ounce glass per day for best results.
It’s worth mentioning that bone broth isn’t cheap; this particular organic version costs around $5 per carton. But, dutiful to the cause, I guzzled down one glass of the broth to see if it would give me a radiant glow sans highlighter. Sadly, there weren’t any results on my first day, but I am hopeful this could potentially change going forward.
Day 2
Sticking with one glass of broth a day wasn’t difficult, as it fits into my routine easily, and I really liked the chicken and rosemary flavor. I can’t say it immediately revolutionized my skin. But health is wealth in my eyes, so investing in skin and overall wellbeing at the same time is something I can get behind. Tomorrow, I may try two cups of broth to see if it changes anything at all.
Day 3
My chicken and rosemary bone broth regimen is still going down pretty well. I can’t fathom having it for breakfast à la Shailene, but it’s the perfect way to squash any unhealthy food cravings I have before lunch. But, even after two cups, my skin isn’t glowing like a diamond just yet. My nails are starting to grow out somewhat, but I am not sure if it’s bone broth-related or just wishful thinking.
Day 4
Upping my bone broth intake hasn’t been difficult at all. I’m really fond of the taste of it, and it’s pretty easy to incorporate into my day-to-day.
I’ve noticed that I have started to break a bit on my chin area, which could be a combination of the humid, hot weather and eating too much junk food during the weekend. I’m hoping it could also be the broth purging all the gunk from my skin, which would definitely be a plus. Whatever the case, I am going to continue to drink two cups a day to see if will help get rid of these pesky zits.
Day 5
Again, I can’t complain about how easy it is to add bone broth into my daily diet. But the bone broth isn’t miraculously changing my skin overnight. Thankfully, no new zits have popped up on my face after yesterday’s breakouts. Perhaps it’s because I’ve scaled back on my unhealthy food cravings. I’m hoping it stays this way for the remainder of the experiment.
Day 6
On the sixth day of my experiment, I’m glad to report that my skin is still holding up, and no new blackheads or pimples have come out to play. Breakouts aside, my skin texture still hasn’t changed a whole lot.
By now, I’ve realized that drinking bone broth daily isn’t going to bring on a game-changing beauty miracle this week. However, I’m not throwing the towel in just yet. I wonder if those collagen-boosting benefits will kick in after a month of daily consumption.
Day 7
On the final day of my experiment, I tried drinking three cups of bone broth to see if it would do anything for my skin. Nothing drastic came out of it, but buying two boxes of broth was worth it—especially since this is something I plan on continuing even after the experiment is over.
Final thoughts
Bone broth may be a celebrity favorite wellness trend right now, but experts confirm it really does have a ton of healthy nutrients. While it was definitely enjoyable to add it to my daily routine, I can’t say it made my skin sparkle like Gwyneth’s. But it did get me to do something nice for myself for a change.
This may be more of something you need to continue to for a month or longer in order to see results, which is totally OK in my eyes. I’ll definitely keep bone broth in my daily routine going forward to see if my skin actually does improve.
