So I’m a bit of a stranger to protein powders — I’m a chronic couch potato, and protein powder always just screams “pre-workout” to me — but I’m no stranger to bone broth. Soups and stews are by far my favorite things to cook, partially because I can play around with the recipe and partially because they’re easy. Chop up some veggies, put them in a pot with some stock and walk away. Hands-off and one-pot cleanup? Yeah, that’s my kind of deal.
Homemade bone broth is my favorite winter remedy for everything, from sore throats to stuffy noses to sad winter days when the only thing I can muster up the energy to do is lay on my couch and watch Netflix. With some bone broth. So when Naked Nutrition sent me this protein powder to try, I was skeptical, to say the least — I swear by my bone broth and nobody else’s.
But I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
Naked Nutrition’s Bone Broth Protein Powder
First, the ingredients. Or, rather, ingredient. Naked Bone Broth “has one ingredient: protein powder sourced from premium European beef bones. The bones are processed in Sweden using mechanical and thermal processes to retain beneficial nutrients and to increase absorption in your body.” I mean, it sounds good, and y’all know by now how stoked we get when we actually know the source of what we’re putting in our bodies.
Naked Bone Broth also boasts 20 grams of protein per serving, and claims to “support gut health, strong hair and nails, healthy joints, and radiant, supple skin.” I can’t speak to that last bit, as I haven’t been using it long enough to notice a difference; however, I do know that bone broth has the ability to kick a cold in the tushie, and when bone broth is a regular part of my diet, I just feel like an overall healthier person. So the jury’s still out on that one, but it wouldn’t surprise me if those claims held up.
My Review
I’ve tried this bone broth two ways so far — on its own in some hot water, and as a replacement for water in rice. I wanted to get a good idea of how it could flavor a meal, but I didn’t use it in a soup recipe for this trial because I didn’t want too many ingredients manipulating the flavor.
First, the powder+hot water. I struggled with this at first (protein powder novice, remember?) and tried to whisk some powder into boiling water. Yeah, that didn’t work — it was all clumpy, which I probably would have expected had I even used protein powder in anything besides an occasional smoothie. So I poured the mixture into a blender, blended it up, and the result was pure foam, because I used hot water. I let it sit until the foam went down, drawing from my experience of taking too long to drink a beer (which I am well versed in). And that did the trick — the foam dissipated and I was left with what I was hoping for, a nice broth. Did it take me a few extra steps to get there? Yes. But if you know me, you know that I rarely choose the simple way of doing things, anyway. I call it character building.
The flavor of the broth was not at ALL what I was expecting, but if I’d taken a moment to actually think about what I was drinking, it would have been exactly what I was expecting — so that’s on me. What was I expecting? All the things I don’t like about every other store-bought bone broth I’ve tried: too salty, weirdly flavored, just unpalatable. This was not that, obviously, because it only has one ingredient — bone broth protein. So, yes, I was pleasantly surprised by the mild (albeit a bit bland) flavor. Definitely needs some seasoning, but I far prefer to have to add to my store-bought things than wishing I could magically remove some ingredients.
Next, I made some rice with my bone broth-water mixture (and, yes, I remembered to flavor it with some salt this time). And the result was honestly delicious. It wasn’t over-the-top broth-y, but it was a nice change from the white rice and butter that’s usually my household staple. And yes, I will for sure continue to make my rice with the protein powder. Does the rice’s pure starch negate the benefits of the powder? Meh. It’s delicious, so I’ll say it doesn’t and hope for the best.
You Can Buy Naked Bone Broth Protein Powder Here – $39.99
Have you ever tried bone broth protein powder before? Are you going to try this one? Let us know in the comments below!
Want More Delicious, Healthy Options? Then You’ll Love:
I Found The Best Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe From Nom Nom — Here’s How To Make It
We Cook Designer Zac Posen’s Favorite Hearty And Healthy Kabocha Soup Recipe
