Chicken Soup — It’s Not Just for the Soul
11/3/2014
A Can of Chicken Soup is featured in one of Andy Warhol’s most Iconic artworks. But it’s the chicken soup — whether canned or homemade — that may be truly remarkable for your health.
Here are just a few health perks of slurping chicken soup:
- It eases cold symptoms. When you were sick as a child, your mom probably fixed you a bowl of chicken soup. Whether she knew it or not, chicken broth has known infection-fighting properties. It has also been shown to reduce inflammation and congestion associated with the common cold, making chicken soup an ideal meal when you’re feeling under the weather.
- It takes the punch out of “Montezuma’s revenge.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sodium-laced chicken soup is effective at treating a particular kind of bacterial sickness caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, or ETEC, the leading cause of travelers’ diarrhea.
- It alleviates achy joints. Research suggests the collagen in chicken soup helps restore worn-down cartilage and relieve arthritis pain. It also contains hyaluronic acid and glucosamine, both of which fight joint damage.
M’MM, M’MM, Homemade!
Studies have shown chicken soup has several health benefits, but the store-bought variety can include preservatives,
empty carbs and heavy doses of sodium that have no place
in a healthy diet. Make your own chicken soup, instead. Homemade chicken soup is often healthier than the canned variety, especially if you keep the following healthy cooking tips in mind:
- To make the broth, ditch the bullion cubes and boil down chicken bones for more nutritional value and less sodium.
- Skip the salt. To really bring out the natural flavor of the chicken bone, try thyme, bay leaves and basil.
- Forgo white-flour noodles in favor of wild or long-grain rice. These whole grains have more flavor and more fiber.
- Be creative with your veggies. Carrots and celery aren’t the only vegetables you can put in chicken soup. Throw in onions, broccoli, zucchini or cabbage — whatever suits your taste.
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Remember that this information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor, but rather to increase awareness and help equip patients with information and facilitate conversations with your physician that will benefit your health.
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