Quick Answer
It is generally recommended to wait 30-60 minutes after drinking bone broth before eating a full meal. This allows time for the broth to move from your stomach into your small intestine, promoting optimal absorption of nutrients. Eating too soon can interfere with digestion. However, a small snack like raw veggies or fruit is fine. Listen to your body and wait until you feel truly hungry before eating a full meal.
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is a nutrient-dense liquid made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue in water for many hours. This long cooking time extracts collagen, gelatin, minerals, and amino acids from the bones, creating a broth rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. The collagen and gelatin in particular have great health benefits.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. It provides the building blocks for healthy skin, hair, nails, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, bones, gums, eyes, and blood vessels. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, leading to signs of aging. Drinking bone broth may help counteract this decline.
Gelatin has similar benefits. It is soothing for the digestive tract and has been shown to aid gut health and digestion. The gelatin in bone broth may also promote satiety, which can support healthy weight management.
In summary, bone broth is nutrient-dense “liquid gold” that provides an easy way to obtain more collagen, gelatin, and minerals in your diet. Sipping bone broth is an excellent habit for overall health and wellbeing.
Why Wait to Eat After Drinking Bone Broth?
There are a few reasons it is recommended to wait 30-60 minutes before eating a full meal after drinking bone broth:
Allows Optimal Nutrient Absorption
When bone broth enters your stomach, it needs time to move into your small intestine for optimal absorption. The small intestine is where most nutrients from foods and liquids are absorbed into your bloodstream.
If you eat a meal too soon after drinking bone broth, the food will take up space in the stomach and physically push the broth further down the digestive tract before it’s fully absorbed.
Waiting 30-60 minutes gives the broth time to move from the stomach into the small intestine, maximizing how many nutrients you can absorb.
Avoids Digestive Upset
When the stomach is overly full, digestion can become less efficient. This can lead to symptoms like bloating, gas, cramping, and diarrhea.
Drinking bone broth adds fluid volume to the stomach. If you eat a full meal right afterwards, it may over-distend the stomach. This makes digestion more difficult and increases the likelihood of GI distress.
Waiting 30-60 minutes allows the stomach to empty some of the broth before adding more food. This prevents an overly full stomach and reduces the risk of indigestion.
Allows Broth to Work Its “Magic”
Bone broth provides gut-healing benefits through its collagen, gelatin, and mineral content. Consuming bone broth is associated with a stronger gut barrier, improved digestion, reduced inflammation, and relief from conditions like leaky gut syndrome.
But bone broth needs time to work its magic! Drinking bone broth and immediately eating a meal denies the broth time to coat and soothe your digestive tract.
Waiting 30-60 minutes gives the broth nutrients time to work on healing and strengthening your gut before food enters the equation. This maximizes its beneficial impact.
How Long to Wait Before Eating After Bone Broth
Based on the factors above, it is generally recommended to wait 30-60 minutes after finishing bone broth before eating a full meal. This timeline allows the broth adequate time for absorption and gut health benefits without leaving you feeling ravenously hungry.
However, every person is different. You may need to experiment to find the ideal waiting time for your body. Here are some tips:
- Try 30 minutes – This is the minimum recommended time.
- If still feeling full or bloated at 30 mins, wait longer.
- Aim for 60 minutes – This is ideal for maximum benefits.
- If very hungry before 60 mins, have a small snack.
- Listen to your body’s signals to determine the right timing.
Be patient with yourself as you determine the optimal waiting period before meals after sipping bone broth. With practice, you will learn the rhythm that works for your unique digestion.
What You Can Eat Immediately After Bone Broth
While it’s best to wait before eating a full meal, you can enjoy a small snack immediately after drinking bone broth if needed. Good options include:
Raw Fruits and Vegetables
Raw produce like apples, carrot sticks, celery, berries, citrus slices, or avocado provide hydration, nutrients, and fiber without overburdening digestion. They make the perfect light snack after bone broth.
Bone Broth Soup
You can build on your cup of straight bone broth by adding soup ingredients like vegetables, chicken, noodles, or legumes. The broth will aid digestion of these foods.
Fermented Foods
A small serving of raw, unpasteurized sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, or kombucha can help populate your gut with beneficial probiotics to optimize digestion.
Herbal Tea
Sipping on a warm, herbal, non-caffeinated tea like chamomile, peppermint, ginger, or turmeric can help soothe your stomach. Stay hydrated with electrolyte-rich herbal tea while waiting to eat your next meal.
Sample Timeline After Drinking Bone Broth
Here is an example timeline incorporating a 30-60 minute waiting period after finishing bone broth:
| Time | Food & Drink |
|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | Wake up and drink 8-12 oz homemade beef bone broth |
| 7:30 AM | Snack on celery sticks with almond butter and herbal tea |
| 8:00-8:30 AM | Eat omelet with veggies, avocado, and fruit on the side |
| 12:00 PM | Drink 8-12 oz chicken bone broth |
| 12:30 PM | Snack on carrots and hummus |
| 1:00-1:30 PM | Eat salad with protein and quinoa |
| 5:00 PM | Drink 8-12 oz fish bone broth |
| 5:30 PM | Snack on apple slices with nut butter |
| 6:00-6:30 PM | Eat dinner – soup, protein, and veggies |
As demonstrated, allowing 30-60 minutes between finishing bone broth and eating a full meal can easily be incorporated into your daily routine. Be consistent, and soon it will feel natural.
Tips for Waiting to Eat After Bone Broth
Here are some additional tips to make waiting easier:
- Drink broth 30-60 mins before your typical mealtimes.
- Schedule meals/snacks accordingly.
- Stay hydrated with herbal tea or mineral water.
- Distract yourself with light activity or entertainment.
- Don’t let yourself get too hungry.
- Keep healthy snacks on hand.
- Chew food thoroughly when you do eat.
- Avoid mindless snacking.
The key is planning ahead and being prepared. Have snacks ready to hold you over until it’s time for your full meal. Before you know it, waiting to eat after bone broth will be a breeze!
Potential Challenges
Switching up your eating schedule to leave time after bone broth comes with some potential challenges:
Feeling Hungry
It’s easy to get impatient when you want to eat but have to wait. Be prepared with filling snacks like fruits, veggies, nuts, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, or leftovers to hold you over. Stay busy during the waiting period so you’re not focused on feeling hungry. Over time, your body will adjust to the new schedule.
Social Occasions
On occasions when you’ll be eating with others, it may not be feasible to wait 30-60 minutes first. In these cases, prioritize the social experience and eat your meal as usual. You can still benefit from bone broth at a different time of day.
Busy Schedule
With a hectic lifestyle, the waiting period may get squeezed out. Try your best to find even 10-15 minutes to allow for some digestion time after broth. However, don’t stress if you need to eat immediately – doing what you can when you can is still beneficial.
Forgetting
It’s easy to drink your bone broth and then forget you’re supposed to wait! Set phone reminders, schedule your meals around broth time, and stick to a routine as much as possible. Before long, waiting will be automatic.
Who Should Not Wait to Eat After Bone Broth
While most people benefit from waiting 30-60 minutes between bone broth and meals, here are some exceptions:
- Those with blood sugar regulation issues like diabetes – Small snacks may be needed to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
- Those prone to gastric ulcers or reflux – Eating food may help coat and protect the stomach lining.
- Children and adolescents – Growing kids may need more frequent meals and snacks.
- Elderly individuals with poor appetite – Maximizing calories and nutrients from each meal is important.
- Extremely active individuals – Frequent fueling helps support activity and training.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women – Nourishment for mom and baby is the priority.
- Anyone with a health condition where fasting is contraindicated.
As always, it’s wise to discuss any major dietary changes with your healthcare provider, especially if you have any underlying medical conditions.
Bottom Line
Here is a quick summary of the key points:
- Wait 30-60 minutes after drinking bone broth before eating a full meal.
- This allows optimal nutrient absorption and gut health benefits.
- You can snack on raw fruits/veggies, herbal tea, or soup immediately after.
- Listen to your body’s signals to find the right waiting time for you.
- With planning ahead, waiting becomes seamless in your routine.
- Some people like children or diabetics may need to eat more frequently.
Be patient with yourself while establishing this habit. In time, you will reap the rewards of improved digestion, regularity, gut health, and more by respecting this beneficial waiting period after sipping bone broth. Your body will thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about waiting to eat after bone broth:
Why can’t I eat immediately after drinking bone broth?
Eating immediately after bone broth doesn’t allow enough time for proper digestion and absorption to occur. The broth needs about 30-60 minutes to move from your stomach into your small intestine where nutrients are absorbed. Eating right away can lead to indigestion, bloating, and decreased nutrient absorption.
What happens if I eat too soon after bone broth?
Potential consequences of eating too soon after bone broth include stomach discomfort, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation, decreased nutrient absorption, and reduced gut health benefits. Following the 30-60 minute guideline helps prevent these undesirable outcomes.
Is it okay to eat a snack after bone broth?
Yes, eating a light snack is fine directly after drinking bone broth. Good snack options include raw fruits and veggies, a small serving of nuts or yogurt, fermented foods, or herbal tea. Just avoid large meals for 30-60 minutes.
What if I don’t always have time to wait before eating?
Just do your best within your schedule. Any waiting time is better than none. Even 10-15 minutes allows for partial stomach emptying before eating a meal. When you simply can’t wait at all, don’t stress – just focus on incorporating the waiting period whenever possible around your commitments.
Can I drink water after finishing bone broth?
Yes, drinking water immediately after bone broth is perfectly fine and counts as ideal waiting time. Staying hydrated with water or herbal tea is great for supporting digestion and gut health. Just avoid any sweetened or carbonated beverages, as well as excessive fluid intake.
The Takeaway
Drinking bone broth offers fantastic benefits, but getting the most out of this nutritious beverage means being strategic about when you eat your next meal. Allowing 30-60 minutes for the broth to work its magic sets you up for optimal nutrient absorption, effective digestion, and improved gut health. Have a small snack like fruits or veggies if needed. Get in the habit of waiting, and you’ll be rewarded with how awesome you feel!