Here is a question I love getting from new bone broth drinkers: when should I drink it? Morning? Before bed? During a fast? Does it even matter?
Good news: there is no wrong time to drink bone broth. It is nourishing at any hour. But different times of day do align with different goals, and knowing those alignments can help you get even more from your daily cup. Let me walk you through the options and tell you what I personally recommend.
First, the Most Important Principle: Consistency Beats Timing
The single most important variable is not when you drink bone broth. It is whether you drink it consistently every day. The amino acids in bone broth work cumulatively. Daily consistency over weeks and months is what produces the skin, gut, and joint changes that my patients rave about. Pick a time that fits your life and stick with it.
Morning: My Personal Favorite
I start most of my patients on a morning bone broth ritual, and it is the routine I personally follow. I cover all the reasons why in my post on the benefits of drinking bone broth for breakfast, but the heart of it is this: drinking bone broth first thing in the morning delivers a meaningful protein dose before you have eaten anything. That early protein sets the stage for better appetite regulation throughout the entire day.
Try this: heat your bone broth, add a pinch of sea salt, a squeeze of lemon, and perhaps a small knob of grass-fed ghee. Sip it like a warm elixir before breakfast. You might be surprised how quickly it becomes the best part of your morning routine.
Before Meals: For Appetite Support
Drinking bone broth 20 to 30 minutes before a meal is a strategy I recommend to patients working on portion control. The protein and gelatin in bone broth may help create a feeling of fullness before you sit down to eat, which naturally leads to eating less without feeling deprived.
During Intermittent Fasting Windows
Bone broth and intermittent fasting are one of the best nutritional partnerships I know of. When you are in a fasting window, bone broth keeps you nourished with amino acids and electrolytes without triggering a meaningful insulin response. I explain exactly why this works in my post on whether bone broth breaks a fast: for most protocols, it does not. It takes the edge off hunger, supports your gut while it rests, and makes fasting dramatically more manageable than white-knuckling it through with water alone. This is exactly why I built bone broth fasting days into my Bone Broth Diet as a core weekly strategy.
Afternoon: The Snack Replacement
The afternoon is when most people’s resolve takes a hit. Blood sugar dips around 3 p.m. and suddenly everything in the vending machine starts looking appealing. A warm cup of bone broth mid-afternoon delivers protein, gives you something warm and satisfying to sip, and provides genuine nourishment. I encourage all my patients to replace at least one sugary snack with bone broth every day. It is one of the simplest, most effective food swaps I know of for supporting weight goals without feeling deprived.
Before Bed: Glycine and Sleep
Bone broth before bed? Yes. Glycine, one of the primary amino acids in bone broth, has been studied for its role in supporting sleep quality. Research suggests that glycine may support sleep onset and overall sleep quality by lowering core body temperature and supporting the nervous system’s wind-down process. A warm mug of bone broth before bed is a gentle, calming ritual that may do double duty: nourishing your gut overnight and supporting more restful sleep.
Before or After a Workout
Bone broth works well around exercise too. Before a workout, it provides a light protein source without the heaviness of a full meal. After a workout, the amino acids in bone broth support muscle recovery and connective tissue repair. Many athletes and active people have made bone broth a regular part of their post-workout routine.
What Time Should You Drink It?
My practical recommendation: choose one time that fits naturally into your existing daily routine and start there. Morning is my top pick for most people. Once that habit is locked in, consider adding a second cup in the afternoon or before bed. Two cups per day is the sweet spot I recommend for most of my patients. Start with Dr. Kellyann’s bone broth and pick the time that fits your life. The best time to drink bone broth is always the time you will actually do it consistently.
