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Friday 22 January 2021

Will Chicken Soup Really Cure Your Cold?

Jo Lewin, registered nutritionist writes:
"Make no bones about it – chicken soup is the nation’s go-to dish when we’re feeling blue - but is there more to this brothy tonic than its comforting connotations? What do you reach for when your body succumbs to the winter sniffles? A 'State of the Nation' survey revealed the majority of us find sanctuary in the warming goodness of chicken soup – but why are boiled bones so restorative? Please read on and discover how the classic tonic delivers more than just a placebo high…


Prevention is better than cure
It may be worth giving yourself a dose of chicken soup as a preventative measure before the first twinge of a cold appears. A 1998 report from Coping with Allergies and Asthma found that broth may improve the function of cilia (the tiny hairs in our noses) that prevent contagions getting into the body.

Added benefit to support immunity
Other key ingredients in a chicken soup include onions, garlic and additional vegetables that add flavour and a healthy dose of phytonutrients – vital for a well-functioning immune system. They can also help to reduce inflammation in the body, which in turn may help to ease the symptoms of a pesky cold.

Healthy calories
At the first sign of sickness, your body will be working overtime to fight off infection, and this takes energy. Often we don’t feel like eating much when under the weather, but this is where the old adage, 'feed a cold' rings true. Chicken soup is a great source of healthy, easily digested calories, with heaps of added nutritional benefits.

Gut feelings
Keeping our digestive system healthy is especially important when we’re sick so that our bodies are able to absorb all the infection-fighting vitamins and minerals it needs from the food we eat. Glucosamine is one of the main building blocks of our digestive system and is released from bones when they’re cooked down. As your broth cools, a layer of gelatine will congeal on the surface. This combination of gelatine and glucosamine can help protect and heal the lining of the digestive tract.

Reduce symptoms
Chicken is especially rich in a compound called carnosine, and it’s this that studies suggest helps reduce that stuffy, congested feeling in your nose and throat. It’s thought that carnosine minimises inflammation in the upper respiratory tract by stopping the migration of white blood cells. The benefit only lasts for as long as the soup remains in the body – so be sure to make up a big batch!

Anti-inflammatory effects
When cooking bones with joint tissue on them (like necks, knuckles, ribs or the leftover carcass from a roasted chicken) the joint tissue cooks down and dissolves into the broth. The gelatine, glucosamine and chondroitin contained within are released into the broth, absorbed by our bodies and used to repair and rebuild our own connective tissue while reducing inflammation, helping you to get back on your feet faster after a bout of illness.

The nostalgia factor
While the evidence stacks in favour of chicken soup being the ultimate cold remedy, don’t underestimate the power of placebo. If your mum used to tuck you up with a bowl of boiling broth and promised it would make you feel all better, these associations probably still influence how you feel today. The placebo effect is a well-documented phenomenon, relating to the power of the mind over the body – if we expect to get better as a result of a medicinal or natural tonic, we often will feel that we are on the mend. The message? Think positive and eat up!
You’ve read the science, perhaps now it’s time to try some soup!"
Above words taken from Jo's original article which can be read in full with all research links here

"this article is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider."

Rustic Roast Chicken Soup


Ingredients
Serves Four
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 tbsp. thyme leaves, roughly chopped
300g leftover roast chicken, shredded and skin removed
200g frozen peas
3 tbsp. Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
squeeze lemon juice
Instructions
can be seen here

Other soup recipes you may like
Chicken Soup for the Soul, with some tasty vegetables - see here
Herby chicken and butter bean soup - see here
A Quick Minestrone Soup - see here
A Summer Vegetable Minestrone - see here

should you have a cold, or be feeling 'a little under the weather'
I hope these winter roses may help to cheer you up

Dear reader, you will find a wide variety of articles and recipes within this blog. Please note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan

43 comments:

Kay said...

Oh yay! I always make chicken soup when anybody looks like they're feeling under the weather. I just sent your post to my children because they always laughed at me when I insisted on making a huge pot of it.

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Chicken soup fan here, the bigger the chunks, the better.

Rose said...

Sometimes I think anything hot and steamy is good when I have a cold. But have always read that chicken soup really is good for a person when they have a cold.

Tom said...

...if so great, I just love chicken soup!

DVArtist said...

Omgosh your chicken soup looks sooooo good. I make it quite often.

Elephant's Child said...

Not for me.
When we were unwell my mother made tomato soup. Which I still turn to - but cannot face unless I am feeling unwell.

Emma Springfield said...

Apparently there is some medical evidence that chicken soup is good when you have a cold. All I know is that it is comforting.

Lorrie said...

Chicken soup is so comforting. I do love it when I'm sick and when I'm well.

Debbie said...

we just love chicken soup but it must have egg noodles in it!!!

Christine said...

I love soups, lovely recipe!

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Chicken soup is tasty. So if nothing else, it makes you feel good.

God bless.

Valerie-Jael said...

I love chicken soup however I feel! Valerie

baili said...

as you know probably dear Jan that my mom had lots of chicken ,so chicken broth was often in winter days ,chicken soup and boiled eggs were so common during cold season

i loved having chicken broth with black peppers ,but since now we live in city and chicken is not grown in domestically in natural environment but comes from shop that is man made product and seems injurious to health honestly as feed they are given sounds harmful according to so many news
so i don't make soup with such chicken ,i prefer boneless chicken now s i can avoid issues
this was nice post as always
blessings!

Jo said...

I'm not a big soup fan but there's no getting away from the fact that it's great comfort food when you're feeling under the weather so I'll often have it then.

Margaret D said...

Not into homemade chicken soup at all - no matter how you do it there is always some fat left from the chicken bones and I just don't like the taste but will eat chicken soup from a tin with my own added veggies..
Don't have a go to....

Justcherry said...

It is amazing that chicken broth contains gelatin, glucosamine and chondroitin which are released and absorbed by our bodies and used to repair and rebuild our own connective tissue to reduce inflammation, help heal faster after a disease attack.
After this, if I get flue, I will eat chicken soup.
Thank you very much for sharing such useful information.
Have a nice weekend
Regards

linda said...

I love chicken soup and usually make it in the slow cooker it's delicious at any time. Have a great weekend.

Nadezda said...

Thanks for your useful recipe, Eddie. The roses are beautiful!

Jeanie said...

Whether it does or doesn't specifically, it looks like the benefits are very good indeed -- and even if they weren't, it's delicious!What's not to love?! Happy weekend and thanks for your visits and comments!

Conniecrafter said...

That is one thing about this pandemic, haven't gotten sick at all this year :)
Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

JFM said...

I love homemade chicken soup even though it takes hours to make🍜

happyone said...

I do enjoy a nice hot chicken soup - it was my mom's favorite soup.

Anne (cornucopia) said...

I like chicken soup, especially when I have a cold. I think it does help.

Mary Kirkland said...

I don't know about curing a cold but it always makes me feel better.

Shari Burke said...

Placebo or not, it tastes delicious! :-)

Bill said...

I love chicken soup, it's one of my favorites.

Judy at GoldCountryCottage said...

Thanks, Jan, for this healing post. I am glad to get the recipe, as I imagine there are many more healing capabilities in it than a can of Campbells!..Stay well..xxoJudy

Susan Zarzycki said...

I always make soup from the remains of chicken and turkey leftovers including the bones, mainly because it tastes good! Thanks for a new recipe to try.❤️

Maria Rodrigues said...

I love chicken soup, I didn't know it was so beneficial to health. Thanks for the information and for the beautiful roses.
Be careful and stay well
A big and tight hug

Divers and Sundry said...

I enjoy chicken soup but don't especially associate it with colds.

William Kendall said...

It works for me.

Margarida Pires said...

Eu adoro canja de galinha!
É uma das minhas sopas favoritas!
Um doce abracinho!
Megy Maia😗🌞😗

Magic Love Crow said...

Thanks so much for this excellent post Jan! I love chicken soup!! Big Hugs!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I learned a lot from this. I had NO idea cooking the chicken bones would be so healthy. I especially appreciated the "gut feeling."

My name is Erika. said...

And it tastes so good too! Interesting post.

aussie aNNie said...

Awesome post I have always made home made chicken soup whenever we have a cold, seems to have something in the chicken stock, oh an bits of chicken and noodles in the bowl or cup..xx

Martha said...

Always enjoy a nice bowl of this soup!

Ygraine said...

Oh thank you so, so much for this fabulous post!😊😊
As a child, my mother used to serve up chicken soup at the first sign of the sniffles...and guess what...I always used to feel a lot better after eating it!
Placebo? Perhaps. But it always appeared to do the trick!
What I hadn't realised, is that it contains all those other nutritious components too.
You have totally inspired me to buy the ingredients and make my own.
Thank you again!😊😊

Have a great day and stay safe.

Hugs xxx

RO said...

I wish I could say I'm a fan of chicken soup, but while I ate it as a kid, I can't even remember the last time I ate some. Very cool to see so many benefits tied to it, though. Hope you're dong well! Hugs, RO

Natalia said...

A good chicken soup always helped me when I was sick, my fav soup ever☺

Lee said...

I love chicken soup...but I have just because I love it...not as a cold eradicator. Touch wood...I've not had a cold since 1998. The reason I remember the date is because my "defences" were down...it was just after the passing of my brother.

My daily intake of Vitamin C through fresh fruits and vegetables, plus added supplements scars colds away, I believe. Colds run away screaming in fear!!! :)

carol l mckenna said...

Wonderful recipe and so good for us ~ mind, body and spirit ~

Moment by moment,

A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Phil Slade said...

Soup was just the job for lunch last week Jan. The other point is that a bowl of good thick soup with the right ingredients does not need bread to make a filling meal. Also, let's not confuse home made soup with the stuff in tins.