Doctors share the healing benefits of the go-to comfort food: ‘Easy and soothing’
We’ve all heard the proverb that chicken soup doubles as medicine, but can it actually relieve the symptoms of a cold, particularly now that fall has arrived and winter is approaching?
Fox News Digital asked experts if they thought this traditional comfort food had any healing properties.
Chicken noodle soup won’t actually cure a cold, but it can help with some of the symptoms, according to Kara Collier, co-founder of Nutrisense in Chicago and registered dietitian nutritionist.
She told Fox News Digital, “The vegetables and seasonings that go into chicken soup, like garlic and herbs, can also provide important minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids that help support our body’s immune system.”
Specifically, chicken is a great source of cysteine, an amino acid that has been demonstrated to help thin mucus and alleviate symptoms of the flu and cold.” “.
According to Collier, the broth used to make chicken soup can also supply the body with electrolytes and fluids to help it fight off infections.
“Having something that is soothing and easy to consume makes a difference when you’re feeling under the weather because your regular hydration strategies may not be appetizing or may not meet your enhanced needs,” the spokesperson stated.
“Warm broth itself may also aid in clearing clogged throat and nasal passages, improving the management of cold and flu symptoms.” “.
Additionally, when you’re sick and may not have the appetite for other foods, chicken soup is a simple way to get vital macronutrients, micronutrients, and fluids.
Collier stated, “When we’re otherwise limited, chicken soup can be an easy and soothing way to get in some protein, carbs, and veggies.”
Dr. According to Utah-based physician Andrew Petersen of Forum Health, chicken broth is rich in proteins and peptides that can provide you an energy boost and support healthy immune function.
“Carrots, celery, and onions are typical vegetables found in a healthy homemade chicken soup,” he said to Fox News Digital.
These ingredients are well-cooked in soups, making them easy to digest—a crucial quality for people who are ill. “.
Chicken soup is a fantastic option to help someone recover from a cold or flu more quickly because of the amino acids and B vitamins in the broth as well as the vitamins and minerals in the vegetables, according to Peterson.
“Compared to a simple carbohydrate meal with excess sugar that would exacerbate the inflammation caused by the viral illness, it is much more likely to be helpful,” he stated.
Jewish scholars have praised chicken soup’s healing properties for a range of illnesses, including the common cold, since the 12th century. Even now, when you’re sick in bed, someone has brought you a steaming hot bowl of soup or reminded you of its benefits. Do folktales about the health benefits of chicken soup truly exist, or is there a more plausible way to treat a cold?
According to a few scientific studies, zinc can help shorten the length of a cold. Nevertheless, you must begin taking more zinc within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. It’s difficult to determine whether chicken soup contains enough zinc to be beneficial because many of these studies were conducted with lozenges or supplements.
There are numerous theories of how chicken soup helps ward off the sniffles. One study found that sipping on hot chicken soup helped clear stuffy noses, but the study found it was effective only for a few minutes and that it wasn’t any more effective than sipping on hot water.
Various vegetables and stock or broth are used to make chicken soup. The chicken bones are cooked for several hours in a stock. This allows minerals like magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and seepage into the liquid stock. Since a broth is usually made solely of meat, these same minerals won’t be present in it. However, don’t undervalue broth’s nutritional value; it’s still packed with minerals like phosphorus and selenium. Naturally, a range of vegetables are used to make stocks and soups, including celery, onions, carrots, leeks, parsnips, and turnips; all of these vegetables’ minerals seep into the liquid.
Other theories claim that chicken soup helps keep you hydrated and soothes a sore throat. But a recent study from the University of Nebraska found that chicken soup may contain anti-inflammatory substances that could help alleviate a cold.
