The Skinny:
Grandma’s chicken soup—or just about any other homemade version—has been seen as a go-to cure for colds and respiratory maladies for decades. Some even claim the Chinese have relied on chicken soup for two thousand years as their own special form of penicillin. That’s great, but the bigger issue is whether this traditional dish is the real deal or some kind of placebo that makes those with colds and flu simply think it’s helping when it isn’t doing much good after all. Others maintain a bowl does relieve symptoms but doesn’t actually cure anything. So, what gives? Well, there is growing research that chicken soup does offer a lot of real benefits. Read on to discover what they are.
The Slate:
Bowl Of Nutrition
There is a mix of goodness in this soup. Chicken’s proteins help produce antibodies, while vegetables add antioxidants and minerals. Depending on the recipe, this enticing bowl may also contain allicin from garlic, which inhibits pathogens’ RNA synthesis and reduces inflammatory reactions; phenolic compounds from ginger, which ease inflammation; curcumin from turmeric, a potent immune-boosting antioxidant; and N-acetylcysteine, an anti-inflammatory agent that strengthens immune response and helps thin and expel mucus buildup.
Ups Appetites
Research has discovered that inflammation tied to illnesses generates an appetite-quenching serum C-reactive protein. Not eating doesn’t do any patient any good. The problem is often intensified by side effects of medications, loss of taste and smell, sore throats, poor sleep and general misery. This is where chicken soup really comes in handy. One taste of its rich umami flavor can reawaken hunger and help speed recovery.
Flighty Hydration
Chicken soup provides more effective hydration than plain water since its electrolytes (e.g., sodium, potassium, and magnesium) help the body retain fluids. This makes it a go-to way to help dehydrated patients. But chicken soup shouldn’t be relied upon as the sole means of preventing dangerous dehydration.
Builds Immune Response
It was recently discovered that three different, but traditional chicken soup recipes all aided immune response. These findings supported earlier research that reported that chicken soup helped cure upper respiratory tract infections by affecting neutrophil (white blood cell) migration and having anti-inflammatory effects. The strong, concentrated soup was the most effective.
Soothes and Cleanses
It’s not just the bowl’s content that helps. The steam that emerges from hot soup helps moisturize and open up blocked airways of patients, improving their airflow and reducing congestion. The chicken soup’s rising steam also has a mild anti-inflammatory effect. This occurs because heat relaxes muscles and increases blood flow by dilating blood vessels, aiding clearance of the white blood cells associated with uncomfortable inflammation.
Phlegm Buster
Besides being annoying and uncomfortable, phlegm (respiratory mucus) collects bacteria and other pathogens. This may cause ear infections or be a precursor to dangerous complications like bronchitis or pneumonia. Inhaling a bowl’s steam helps cilia, the tiny hairs inside the respiratory system, function better to sweep away nasty stuff, making it easier to follow the American Lung Association’s advice: “Cough it up.”
Feelgood Benefits
Besides specific medical benefits, chicken soup is a classic comfort food that provokes memories of nurture and belonging. This is important. Beyond this, it directly affects brain chemistry because it is high in tryptophan, which helps produce mood-enhancing serotonin.
Considerations
Not all chicken soups are created equal. Home-made provides lots of fresh, healthy vegetables and antioxidants. Freeze-dried and canned varieties have less of these and may contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) or excessive sodium. It is important to read the labels of store-bought varieties. Consider adding fresh vegetables to commercial brands or buying take-out containers of freshly made soup. Also, remember that folk remedies, whatever their benefits, should not replace medical care, especially for the very young or elderly. Antibiotics may be needed.
Eyes Up:
Are you a chicken soup advocate? Let us know at info@wellwellusa.com.
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