Chicken Soup as a Cold Remedy
Old women without formal education have believed for centuries that chicken soup cures illness, and scientists have only recently discovered why. A research team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that chicken soup contains several components that enhance human immune function. Especially anti-inflammatory compounds, which are highly effective in treating sore throats and alleviating symptoms caused by flu and common colds.
During a holiday season, lung disease expert Dr. Stephen Leonard’s wife prepared a bowl of chicken soup. While discussing whether chicken soup could treat inflammation, his wife expressed skepticism. So Leonard decided to find the answer in the lab. His team carefully analyzed the body’s repair mechanisms following lung damage due to asthma and emphysema. Meanwhile, his wife prepared the soup according to her grandmother’s recipe—containing chicken, onion, celery, radish, potato, and parsley, with no salt added.
Researchers tested the soup as a whole, but also examined each individual ingredient separately. They found that cold-related lung infections increase viral particles and cellular debris in the body. Neutrophils stimulate mucus secretion in the mucous membranes, causing coughing and nasal congestion typical of upper respiratory infections. Chicken soup suppresses neutrophil activity, thus helping reduce cold symptoms. After testing over a dozen commercially available chicken soups, researchers concluded that those containing vegetables were more effective.
Some speculate that the fat in chicken and the steam rising from hot soup may help clear inflamed airways. Having a loved one prepare chicken soup for you brings emotional warmth, so psychological factors cannot be entirely ruled out. In contrast, tap water has no effect on colds.
<Chicken Soup for Colds>