What Kind of Broth on a Carnivore Diet?

November 8, 2025 •

5 min read

Historically, humans have consumed nutrient-dense animal parts like marrow and connective tissue for millennia, making bone broth a true ancestral staple. For those following the carnivore diet, knowing what kind of broth on a carnivore diet is appropriate is essential for providing vital electrolytes and nutrients often lacking from muscle meat alone.

Quick Summary

Bone broth is a staple on the carnivore diet, providing essential collagen, gelatin, and electrolytes. The best options are made from animal bones and connective tissues, free from plant-based ingredients or additives. Quality broth supports gut health, joints, skin, and helps manage the transition to a zero-carb lifestyle.

Key Points

Carnivore-Approved Broth: Use simple, animal-based bone broth made from beef, chicken, or other animal bones and connective tissues, without any plant-based ingredients.
Electrolyte Support: Bone broth is a natural way to replenish electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which are often depleted during the carnivore diet's adaptation phase.
Nutrient-Dense Option: Focus on long-simmered bone broth to extract maximum collagen, gelatin, and minerals, which support joint health, skin elasticity, and digestion.
Homemade vs. Store-Bought: While homemade broth offers complete control over ingredients, always check store-bought labels carefully for hidden vegetable extracts or additives.
Gut Health Benefits: The gelatin and glutamine in bone broth can help soothe and repair the gut lining, promoting better digestive health.
Fat and Hydration: Bone broth is a warm, hydrating beverage that can help manage appetite between meals and increase fat intake, which is critical on the carnivore diet.
Versatile Ingredient: Use broth for sipping, as a base for meat-based soups, or for braising meats to add flavor and nutrition to your carnivore meals.

Why Broth is a Carnivore Diet Essential

While the carnivore diet is centered around eating meat, fish, and other animal products, focusing exclusively on muscle meat can leave nutritional gaps. The carnivore diet encourages nose-to-tail eating, and bone broth is a perfect example of this philosophy in action. It's a simple, ancient food that provides a dense source of nutrients that are difficult to obtain from muscle meat alone. Bone broth is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and contains high amounts of collagen and gelatin, which are crucial for joint and gut health. This makes it an invaluable addition for anyone looking to optimize their health on a carnivore eating plan.

Nutrient-Rich Benefits for the Carnivore

Transitioning to a zero-carb diet can often lead to a 'keto flu' or 'carnivore flu' as the body adapts to burning fat for fuel. During this phase, the body flushes water and essential electrolytes, leading to symptoms like fatigue and headaches. A properly made, animal-based broth is a natural way to replenish lost electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, and magnesium, helping to ease the transition and keep you feeling your best. Beyond the initial phase, regular consumption of quality broth offers continuous support for:

Joint and Skin Health: The high concentration of gelatin and collagen directly supports cartilage and connective tissues, benefiting joint health and skin elasticity.
Gut Healing: Gelatin and the amino acid glutamine help repair and soothe the gut lining, which is beneficial for those seeking to heal a 'leaky gut' or reduce inflammation.
Sleep Quality: Glycine, a prominent amino acid in bone broth, has been shown to improve sleep quality and promote a sense of calm.

What Kind of Broth on a Carnivore Diet is Best?

The best kind of broth for a carnivore diet is simple, animal-based bone broth. This means it must be free of all plant-derived ingredients, including vegetables, herbs, and spices often found in conventional broths. The focus should be on long-simmered animal bones and connective tissue to extract maximum nutrients.

Here’s a breakdown of the best types of broth for the carnivore diet:

Beef Bone Broth: A staple for many carnivores, beef broth made from marrow bones, knuckles, and joints is rich and flavorful. It provides excellent collagen and fat content.
Chicken Bone Broth: Made from chicken feet, backs, and necks, this broth is a lighter but still nutrient-dense option. Chicken feet, in particular, are packed with collagen.
Fish Broth: Using the carcasses of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, can create a lighter broth that also provides omega-3 fatty acids.
Pork Broth: Similar to beef, pork bones (especially from pasture-raised pigs) can produce a flavorful, gelatin-rich broth.

Homemade vs. Store-Bought Broth

When it comes to sourcing your broth, you have two main options: making it yourself or buying it. Both have pros and cons, and your best choice depends on your priorities and available time.

Homemade Broth: The Ultimate Carnivore Option

Making your own broth is the most reliable way to ensure it's 100% carnivore-friendly. You have complete control over the ingredients, ensuring no plant-based additives sneak in. The basic recipe involves simmering bones in water for an extended period, typically 12 to 24 hours, often with a splash of apple cider vinegar to aid mineral extraction. For carnivores, the vegetables are omitted entirely.

Store-Bought Broth: Convenience with a Catch

While convenient, most store-bought broths are not suitable for the strict carnivore diet. They often contain vegetable flavorings, sugars, and preservatives. If opting for a store-bought version, meticulously check the ingredient label for pure, animal-based content. Brands specifically catering to the carnivore market or some high-end, regenerative brands will offer pure, vegetable-free options.


Aspect	Homemade Bone Broth	Store-Bought Carnivore Broth
Ingredients Control	Complete control; ensure no non-carnivore additives.	Limited control; requires careful label reading.
Nutrient Density	Often higher due to longer simmer times and fresh, fatty bones.	Can be high if from a reputable brand, but varies.
Cost	More affordable, as you use leftover bones and scraps.	Generally more expensive due to packaging and processing.
Preparation Time	Requires significant time for simmering and preparation.	Instant; just heat and serve.
Customization	Full ability to adjust salt levels and ingredient focus.	Fixed flavor profile and salt content.
Shelf Stability	Fresh broth requires refrigeration or freezing.	Often shelf-stable, though refrigerated/frozen options are better.

A Simple Carnivore Bone Broth Recipe

Making your own broth is straightforward and guarantees a pure, nutrient-dense product.

Gather Bones: Collect high-quality animal bones. A mix of marrow bones, joint bones (knuckles), and feet (like chicken feet or pig trotters) is ideal for maximum gelatin extraction. Roasting the bones first at 400°F for 30-40 minutes can deepen the flavor.
Add to Pot: Place the bones in a large stockpot or slow cooker. Cover with filtered water, ensuring all bones are submerged by a couple of inches.
Add Salt (and optional vinegar): Add a generous pinch of high-quality salt, such as Redmond Real Salt or Himalayan pink salt, for electrolytes. Some people add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, which proponents believe helps draw minerals from the bones, though it's technically a plant product and optional for stricter carnivores.
Simmer Low and Slow: Bring the water to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer. Let it cook for a minimum of 12 hours. For beef bones, many simmer for 24 to 48 hours for the richest broth. Chicken bones generally require less time, around 12-24 hours.
Strain and Store: Once finished, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove all bone fragments and solids. Allow it to cool before pouring into jars. The broth should gel up when cold, a sign of its high gelatin content. Store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.

Conclusion

Bone broth is not merely permissible on a carnivore diet; it is a highly recommended and valuable staple. It provides essential minerals, amino acids, collagen, and gelatin that can support overall health, aid in the transition phase, and fill nutritional gaps left by a focus on only muscle meat. Whether you choose to make a simple, pure beef or chicken broth at home or find a clean, animal-based product from a specialized vendor, incorporating this ancestral food can significantly enhance your carnivore experience. By prioritizing quality animal-based ingredients, you ensure that your broth is a nourishing, foundational part of your meat-based diet.

Key Takeaways

Bone broth is a carnivore diet staple: It provides crucial nutrients like collagen and minerals often missing from muscle-meat-only approaches.
Prioritize animal-based ingredients: A carnivore-friendly broth should contain only animal bones, connective tissue, and water, with salt to taste.
Homemade offers maximum control: Making your own ensures there are no hidden plant-based ingredients or additives, unlike many commercial options.
Different animals offer variety: Beef, chicken, and fish broths are all suitable, each providing a unique flavor profile and nutrient mix.
Replenishes electrolytes: Especially important during the initial transition phase, bone broth is a natural source of vital electrolytes like sodium and magnesium.
Supports gut and joint health: The high collagen and gelatin content is essential for repairing the gut lining and maintaining healthy joints.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most store-bought broths are not suitable as they contain plant-based ingredients like onions, carrots, and herbs. It's crucial to read the label and find a product explicitly marketed as carnivore-friendly or make your own to be sure.

A true carnivore bone broth is simmered for a much longer period than regular stock and contains only animal parts (bones, connective tissue, water) and salt. This process extracts more collagen and minerals, resulting in a nutrient-dense, gelatinous broth, free of any plant-based ingredients.

For beef bones, a simmer time of 24 to 48 hours is often recommended for maximum nutrient extraction. Chicken bones generally require less time, with a minimum of 12 hours being sufficient.

Apple cider vinegar is derived from plants, making it a gray area for strict carnivores. While some use a small amount to help extract minerals from bones, others prefer to omit it entirely. You can get a rich, nutritious broth without it.

For optimal mineral intake, use a high-quality, unrefined salt like Redmond Real Salt or Himalayan pink salt. These salts contain trace minerals that are beneficial for maintaining electrolyte balance on the carnivore diet.

Yes, bone broth is an excellent natural source of electrolytes, including sodium, magnesium, and potassium. It's especially useful for replenishing these minerals during the initial transition period or on fasting days.

Yes, using leftover roasted bones is a great way to make broth. Roasting the bones before simmering can also deepen the flavor of the final product.

If your broth doesn't gel when chilled, it likely means you didn't extract enough gelatin from the bones. Using more joint-heavy bones (knuckles, chicken feet), simmering for a longer duration, or using a pressure cooker can improve the gelatin content.