Chicken soup really helps to heal

Stories about the special properties of chicken soup have existed for centuries. Back in the 12th century, Maimonides recommended eating it to reduce the chance of suffering from symptoms of upper respiratory tract diseases. His advice was based on more ancient Greek scriptures. Even today, some of us believe that chicken soup helps with colds – is there any truth in this?
Well, I’ll start from the end: yes. Beyond the fact that the classic chicken soup is delicious and warming and for many of us reminds us of childhood, it has several ingredients that are definitely important for the recovery process:

 

1. It provides fluids to the body. These are always important, especially when sick or suffering from diarrhea viruses that cause fluid loss.
2. Provides a good amount of potassium found in the traditional vegetables that are usually added to the soup.
3. Rich in antioxidants: carrots, parsley and onions, for example, are very rich in antioxidants called antioxidants, which are important for the body’s general resistance and health.

This is scientifically proven

According to several studies conducted on the subject, it seems that chicken soup affects the immune system. Although there aren’t many such studies (apparently there isn’t much interest in researching chicken soup), but I still found a few. One of them was conducted in China and published in 2022, in which the effect of chicken broth from different chicken breeds on the immune response of mice with a compromised immune system was tested. It turned out that the chicken soup slowed down the movement of inflammatory cells, improved the activity of the thymus gland that produces T-type immune cells, and improved the structure of the spleen, which is most important for improving the immune response. The research was very expensive, and included many parameters, including cytokine levels (known in the context of Corona as a “cytokine storm” that can happen in any viral disease). An increase in the level of cytokines is a cause of unpleasant symptoms, such as: chills, runny nose, cough, etc., and according to this study, chicken soup seems to improve the situation, although it is not yet clear how.

 

 

 

What is the recommended and healthy way to prepare chicken soup?

Here is my advice on the matter: since the chicken fat is not an essential ingredient for health, you should get rid of it if possible. It is recommended to boil the chicken, pour the water, remove all the visible fat and wash the chicken clean of oil with clean water and cook. You should add the vegetables at the end of cooking, and cover the pot immediately after boiling. Parsley should be added after all. You can add spices to taste.

Olga Raz, PhD, is a professor of nutritional sciences at Ariel University, a clinical dietitian