If you're trying to lose weight, you may have come across bone broth as a popular food among people following keto or fasting routines.
But can bone broth actually help with weight loss?
The short answer is that bone broth can be a useful, nutritious addition to a calorie-controlled diet, particularly because Spear & Arrows Bone Broth is extremely low in carbohydrate and can provide protein and flavour (Botanical). However, bone broth itself isn't a weight-loss treatment or a magic solution.
Its real value may be in how easily it can fit into different eating patterns — including the keto diet and intermittent fasting.
What is bone broth?
Bone broth is traditionally made by slowly cooking bones and connective tissue in water, often with vegetables and herbs.
During the cooking process, collagen from connective tissue is broken down into gelatin and smaller collagen-derived peptides. A well-made broth can develop a naturally rich flavour and may set like jelly when chilled.
Bone broth can be enjoyed as a warm drink or used as an ingredient in soups, stews, and dishes such as ramen.
For anyone trying to manage their weight, it can be an easy way of adding flavour and nourishment without relying on heavily processed foods.
Can bone broth help with weight loss?
Bone broth doesn't directly “burn fat” or cause weight loss.
Weight loss generally occurs when your body uses more energy than it takes in over time.
However, Spear & Arrow bone broth may be useful as part of a healthy weight-management approach.
It can:
- Provide protein and amino acids
- Be low in carbohydrate
- Be used as a satisfying savoury drink or meal ingredient
- Add flavour to low-carbohydrate meals
- Provide an alternative to higher-calorie snacks
- Form the base of nutritious soups and meals
The nutritional content varies considerably between bone broths, However Spear & Arrow's Bone Broth has low fat and carbohydrate content with no added salt therefore always check the nutrition label if you're buying an alternative product especially if they have added vegetables which will mean higher carb content.
Bone broth and the keto diet
The keto diet, short for ketogenic diet, is a low-carbohydrate, higher-fat dietary pattern designed to shift the body towards using more fat and ketones for energy.
The exact amount of carbohydrate consumed varies between individuals and different versions of the diet, but ketogenic diets are generally much lower in carbohydrate than a typical Western diet.
This makes bone broth particularly versatile for people following keto.
What can I eat on a keto diet?
If you're wondering what can I eat on Keto diet, typical keto-friendly foods can include:
Protein
- Beef
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Fish
- Eggs
- Seafood
Healthy fats
- Avocado
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Ghee
- Butter
- Nuts and seeds
Low-carbohydrate vegetables
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Spinach
- Kale
- Courgettes
- Cabbage
- Mushrooms
- Asparagus
Dairy
Depending on your individual approach:
- Full-fat Greek yoghurt
- Cheese
- Cream
- Butter
Keto diet food list: where does bone broth fit?
If you're putting together a keto diet food list, a pouch of Spear & Arrow bone broth can be a useful staple to keep in the refrigerator.
It can be used in several different ways.
Breakfast
A warm mug of bone broth can be an alternative to a conventional breakfast drink.
Lunch
Use bone broth as the base of a low-carbohydrate vegetable and chicken soup.
Dinner
Use beef bone broth to create a rich sauce or gravy for meat and vegetables.
Between meals
A cup of bone broth can provide a savoury alternative to reaching for a processed snack.
Cooking
Use bone broth instead of water when cooking certain vegetables or making sauces to add depth of flavour.
Keto recipes using Spear & Arrow bone broth
If you're looking for keto recipes, bone broth can be incorporated into many simple meals.
Keto beef (or chicken) and bone broth soup
Combine:
- Beef bone broth
- Cooked beef or chicken
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Garlic
- Herbs
- Black pepper
Simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Keto bone broth gravy
Reduce beef bone broth with herbs and seasoning and finish with butter.
Serve with beef, chicken or roasted low-carbohydrate vegetables.
The beauty of bone broth is that it doesn't need to be complicated.
What is fasting?
What is fasting?
Fasting simply means going without food for a period of time.
Humans have practised fasting for centuries for cultural, religious and personal reasons.
Today, fasting is also commonly used as part of different approaches to weight management.
Fasting can range from simply leaving a longer gap between dinner and breakfast to longer periods without food.
One popular approach is intermittent fasting.
What is intermittent fasting?
So, what is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and periods of fasting.
One popular example is the 16:8 method, where someone eats during an eight-hour window and fasts for approximately 16 hours.
Other approaches include:
- 14:10
- 18:6
- Time-restricted eating
- Alternate-day fasting
The best approach, if someone chooses to fast, is one that is sustainable and appropriate for their individual circumstances.
Intermittent fasting doesn't necessarily specify what you eat — it primarily focuses on when you eat.
This means the quality of the food consumed during eating periods still matters.
Can you use bone broth while fasting?
This is where things can become confusing.
Whether bone broth “breaks a fast” depends on what type of fasting you are doing and the purpose of your fast.
Bone broth contains calories, protein and other nutrients.
Therefore, if your objective is a strict calorie-free fast, drinking bone broth would technically end that fast.
However, some people use small amounts of bone broth during fasting periods as part of a modified fasting approach.
For example, someone practising time-restricted eating may choose to have bone broth within their eating window.
Others may use broth during a longer fast under appropriate professional guidance.
The important thing is to understand that bone broth isn't calorie-free.
Bone broth and intermittent fasting
Bone broth can work particularly well as part of the transition into or out of an intermittent fasting period.
For example, someone following a 16:8 routine might finish their fasting period with a nourishing meal containing bone broth.
Alternatively, bone broth can be incorporated into their eating window as a warm drink or meal ingredient.
A simple meal could be:
Bone broth + chicken + vegetables + herbs
or:
Beef bone broth + beef + mushrooms + leafy greens
This provides a much more substantial meal than simply drinking broth on its own.
What happens to blood sugar during fasting?
When you fast, your body goes through a number of metabolic changes.
Your blood glucose level is influenced by factors including your previous meal, activity levels, hormones, stress, sleep and individual metabolism.
This is why people interested in fasting often search for information about fasting blood sugar and fasting glucose levels.
What are fasting glucose levels?
Fasting glucose levels refer to blood glucose measured after a period without food, usually overnight.
For many people, a fasting blood glucose test is taken after approximately eight hours without eating.
Blood glucose is tightly regulated by the body, and fasting glucose measurements can be used by healthcare professionals as part of assessing metabolic health and diagnosing conditions such as diabetes.
If you regularly monitor your fasting blood sugar, remember that individual readings can fluctuate.
Stress, illness, sleep, exercise, medication and the timing and composition of your previous meal can all influence glucose levels.
If you have concerns about your fasting glucose levels, discuss them with your healthcare professional rather than attempting to interpret individual readings in isolation.
Does Spear & Arrow bone broth affect blood sugar?
Our bone broth is low in carbohydrate, particularly when it contains primarily bones, water, apple cider vinegar turmeric, ginger, garlic and chilli therefore generally would not raise blood sugar levels.
However, if it is added to other ingredients such as tea, coffee, soup or gravys that would affect the glucose levels.
Bone broth, keto and fasting: what's the difference?
Keto and intermittent fasting are often mentioned together, but they are not the same thing.
Keto focuses primarily on what you eat.
Intermittent fasting focuses primarily on when you eat.
You can follow a keto diet without fasting.
You can practise intermittent fasting without following keto.
And some people combine the two.
Bone broth can potentially fit into both approaches, but in different ways.
Keto
Bone broth can be incorporated into meals because traditional bone broth is generally low in carbohydrate.
Intermittent fasting
Bone broth can be consumed during the eating window. If consumed during the fasting window, it provides calories and therefore would not constitute a strict calorie-free fast.
Is bone broth good for weight management?
One of the advantages of bone broth is its versatility.
Rather than thinking about bone broth as a weight-loss product, think about how it can help you create satisfying meals using whole-food ingredients.
For example, instead of a highly processed sauce or stock cube, bone broth can provide a rich base for a meal.
Instead of reaching for a sugary snack, some people may enjoy a savoury cup of broth with a dash or worcester or chilli sauce. Or added to a herbal tea or black coffee.
And instead of using water to make soup, bone broth can add flavour and nutritional value.
Taking one small step at a time towards a healthier lifestyle.
