For most people, yes. Bone broth hot chocolate adds protein and naturally occurring collagen to a drink that's usually mostly sugar. One scoop of Rae Basics Bone Broth Protein Mix has 14g of protein and 0g sugar, while a cup of homemade hot cocoa has about 24g of sugar and 9g of protein, according to USDA data.
In this article
- What is bone broth hot chocolate?
- Does bone broth hot chocolate taste like broth?
- Bone broth hot chocolate benefits: what it can and can't do
- Bone broth hot chocolate vs regular hot cocoa
- Is bone broth hot chocolate dairy free? Can you make it without milk?
- Can kids drink bone broth hot chocolate?
- How to make bone broth hot chocolate (no blender)
- Quick answers
- Sources
Below I'll cover what it actually is, whether it tastes like soup (it shouldn't), what it can and can't do for you, and how to make a smooth cup without a blender.
What is bone broth hot chocolate?
It's a chocolate drink built on bone broth protein instead of sugar and milk solids. Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue for hours, which pulls protein and collagen into the liquid. Dry that broth down and you have a protein you can flavor any way you like. Chocolate is the one people actually want to drink every day.
You'll see plenty of homemade versions online where someone stirs cocoa into savory broth. It works, but it tastes like what it is. A ready-made mix is a different thing. Our grass-fed Bone Broth Protein Mix is made to taste like a real cup of hot chocolate, with 14g of protein, 10g+ of naturally occurring collagen, 0g sugar and 3g of carbs in each 21g scoop of Classic Chocolate. It's sweetened with monk fruit, and the creaminess comes from organic coconut milk and organic oat milk.
Does bone broth hot chocolate taste like broth?
It shouldn't. This is one of the questions we hear most, and it's fair, because "bone broth" and "dessert" don't sound like they belong in the same mug. With a well-made mix, you taste chocolate. It's rich, a little creamy, and not chalky the way a lot of shakes are. My husband, Josh, is a food scientist, and he made the first batch in our kitchen with one goal: a cup that tastes like hot chocolate, not a supplement.
One customer said it better than we could:
"I love, love my Rae mix. I have it in my coffee and shakes daily. Tastes like hot chocolate! Best flavor!" Atousa H., verified buyer
So if you've had savory bone broth and didn't love it, don't use that as a preview. The broth is the protein base here, not the flavor.
Bone broth hot chocolate benefits: what it can and can't do
I'm a nurse, and I'd rather tell you exactly what a cup of this does than oversell it.
It puts protein into a drink that usually has very little
Most of us eat a small breakfast and a big dinner. A 2014 study in the Journal of Nutrition (Mamerow and colleagues) found that adults who spread their protein evenly across the day, about 30g at each meal, had higher 24-hour muscle protein synthesis than when most of it came at dinner. It was a small study, but the idea is simple. A morning cup with 14g of protein, or about 22g if you whisk it into 1 cup (8 oz) of dairy milk, moves some of your protein to the start of the day.
Some of that protein is collagen
Every scoop has 10g+ of naturally occurring collagen, a structural protein found in skin, joints and connective tissue. I'm careful here. Drinking collagen doesn't promise any specific result, and anyone who guarantees one is getting ahead of the evidence. What you can count on is that it adds to your protein for the day.
It swaps out a sugary habit, not a meal
The FDA's Daily Value for added sugars is 50g a day on a 2,000-calorie diet. A packet cocoa or a coffee-shop hot chocolate can eat up a big chunk of that before 9 a.m. A mix with 0g sugar lets you keep the ritual and drop the sugar. On its own it isn't a meal, though. Have it with real food like eggs, fruit, oats or yogurt.
What it won't do
It won't melt fat, fix your gut overnight or stand in for medical care. It's a better version of a drink a lot of us already have every day.
Bone broth hot chocolate vs regular hot cocoa
Here's how one serving compares. The standard cocoas come from USDA FoodData Central and the Mix numbers come from our label.
| One serving | Sugar | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Homemade hot cocoa, 1 cup with milk | About 24g (part from milk) | About 9g |
| Cocoa mix made with water, 6 oz | About 19g | About 2g |
| Bone Broth Protein Mix, 1 scoop with water | 0g | 14g |
| Bone Broth Protein Mix, 1 scoop with 1 cup (8 oz) dairy milk | Only the natural sugar in the milk | About 22g |
With water, it's the leanest cup on the list. With milk, it's one of the higher-protein drinks you can make without a blender.
Is bone broth hot chocolate dairy free? Can you make it without milk?
Bone broth protein isn't dairy, so bone broth hot chocolate can be completely dairy-free. Ours is. The creaminess comes from organic coconut milk and organic oat milk, which means it does contain coconut, so skip it if you're allergic. It's also gluten-free.
You don't need milk at all. Hot water gives you a lighter cup with 14g of protein. Oat milk makes it creamier, and almond milk lands in between at about 15g of protein. If whey or milk-based drinks leave you bloated, this is one of the easier swaps to try. Plenty of our customers found us that way.
Can kids drink bone broth hot chocolate?
Use the caffeine-free flavors for kids: Classic Chocolate, Mocha or Chai. Caffeinated Chocolate has 60mg of caffeine per scoop and is for adults.
A few notes for parents from the nurse side of me. Check for a coconut allergy first. Our label has no directions for children, so ask your pediatrician how much makes sense, especially if your child is under two, has a medical condition or eats a restricted diet. I cover the details in bone broth hot chocolate for kids.
How to make bone broth hot chocolate (no blender)
This is the method from our Protein Hot Chocolate recipe. The one step that matters is the paste.
- Heat 10 oz of milk (or water) until it steams, not boils. About 2 minutes in the microwave.
- Put one scoop of Classic Chocolate in your mug and add 2 tablespoons of the hot liquid.
- Stir into a smooth paste. This is what keeps it from clumping.
- Pour in the rest while stirring, or run a handheld frother for 10 seconds.
- Optional: a pinch of sea salt and a drop of vanilla.
“I usually make mine in a big mug with hot water, and lately I've been loving half water, half milk. I'll have it alongside something simple like eggs or yogurt.”
Skotie Rae, RN, founder
If you want it iced, frothed into a latte or stirred into your morning coffee, there are 23 ideas on our recipes page. Our guide to putting bone broth protein in coffee walks through the coffee version step by step.
Quick answers
Is bone broth hot chocolate healthy?
It's a healthier hot chocolate. With 14g of protein, 10g+ of collagen and 0g sugar per scoop, it adds protein to your day without the sugar of a typical cocoa. Treat it as part of a meal or a snack, not a replacement for one.
Does bone broth hot chocolate have caffeine?
Classic Chocolate, Mocha and Chai have 0mg of caffeine. Only Caffeinated Chocolate has caffeine: 60mg per scoop, roughly two-thirds of a typical 8 oz cup of coffee.
Can I drink it at night?
Yes, as long as you pick a caffeine-free flavor. Classic Chocolate and Chai are easy evening picks. I'd skip Caffeinated Chocolate after lunch.
Is bone broth hot chocolate keto?
Rae Basics Bone Broth Protein Mix has 3g of carbs (4g for Chai) and 0g sugar per scoop, so it fits most keto and low-carb plans. Use unsweetened milk to keep it that way.
Where can I see all the nutrition facts?
Every number for both of our products lives on one page: Rae Basics at a glance.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Milk, chocolate beverage, hot cocoa, homemade (FDC ID 171277). Per cup (250g): about 24g total sugars, 9g protein.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central. Beverages, cocoa mix, powder, prepared with water (FDC ID 174123). Per 6 fl oz serving: about 19g total sugars, 2g protein.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label.
- Mamerow MM, Mettler JA, English KL, et al. Dietary protein distribution positively influences 24-h muscle protein synthesis in healthy adults. J Nutr. 2014;144(6):876-880.
