Bone Calories

No. Cooking can make bone brittle, and sharp fragments may cause choking or injure the mouth or digestive tract. Remove bones from broth before serving, and never treat cooked bones as food.

Bone broth is made by simmering bones in water, often with vegetables and seasonings. The bones are strained out before serving; the finished broth may contain gelatin and small amounts of minerals released during cooking.

Yes. Collagen from bone and connective tissue can dissolve into the broth and turn into gelatin during cooking. The amount varies with the bones and preparation, so bone broth does not have a consistent collagen content.

No. Bone marrow is soft tissue found inside certain bones, while bone is the hard structure around it. Marrow can be scooped out and eaten; the bone itself is generally not eaten.

Not necessarily. Some minerals can pass from bone into broth, but the amount of calcium is variable and broth is not a dependable concentrated source. Don’t rely on bone broth alone to meet calcium needs.

Beef, lamb, and poultry bones can all be used. Bones with joints or cartilage tend to make a more gelatinous broth, while marrow bones add marrow and richness. A butcher can help choose pieces for your preferred result.

Not without risk. Cooked bones can splinter, while raw bones can carry germs or damage teeth. Either may cause choking or digestive injury, so ask your veterinarian before giving a dog any bone.

Keep raw bone sealed in the refrigerator and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Freeze it if you won’t use it soon, and thaw it in the refrigerator rather than leaving it at room temperature.

No. Rinsing raw bone can splash germs onto sinks, counters, and nearby food. Cook it safely instead, then wash your hands and clean any surfaces or utensils that touched the raw bone.