Can Chicken Soup Really Cure Your Cold?

We all know that chicken soup is the standard recommendation for colds and flues. After all, who does not remember spending time in bed with a bowl or mug of homemade soup when they were sick as a child? However, just what makes chicken soup so popular as a remedy? Here is a look at what scientific studies can tell us about the healing properties of chicken soup.

We first hear about chicken soup’s ability to cure colds reading the twelfth century writings of Moshe Ben Maimonides, a philosopher and doctor from Egypt. He claimed chicken soup was an excellent cure for respiratory problems, and he probably heard about it from the Greeks. Now, modern scientists are taking a look at chicken soup to find out what it can do for us, and see if this belief really is true.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Dr. Stephen Rennard, a specialist in chest colds, decided to take a look at some homemade chicken soup from his own kitchen, to determine if it was any good for curing colds. We know that soup and other hot liquids are good for healing throat problems and relieving congestion, but is there anything special about chicken soup?

Rennard took three batches of homemade chicken soup with matzo balls into the lab, and saw how they affected the white blood cells that are responsible for fighting off colds. Neutrophils are one type of white blood cell, which causes inflammation and congestion, and they were prevented from doing so by chicken soup. It does not seem to matter if it is homemade or comes in a can – chicken soup can affect immune response. We are not sure how it does it, though.

Chicken soup might also be good for your blood pressure. According to researchers from the Nippon Meat Packers Research and Development Centre in Japan, the chicken in the soup might work a lot like blood pressure medicines called ACE inhibitors. The collagen proteins found in chicken legs helped decrease blood pressure in this study. Of course, chicken soup usually contains a lot of salt, which might nullify this effect.

Will chicken soup help dieters, too? We know that soup can help people regulate their calorie intake. The amount of water in a good soup will help you feel full for longer, and eat less over time. The University of Nottingham studied the effects of meals made with the same ingredients on volunteers. The group that received the soup stayed full longer than the group that had chicken, vegetables, and water separately.

So, is chicken soup really a miracle food? We are still not sure. We know that both soup and chicken have some real health benefits, but they might not be better than vegetable soups. However, you probably cannot go wrong trying it. This is a protein and nutrient filled comfort food that will keep your body strong while you fight off illness. Chicken soup is definitely worth a try when you get sick.

The next time you are sick and someone recommends you have a big bowl of chicken soup to help get rid of it, take his or her advice. You will enjoy a good meal that tastes great, and you could get some real health benefits, too.

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