When we were young, our parents had go to comfort-foods that would make us feel better when we were feeling sick. Among the most common home remedies, a nice hot bowl of home-made chicken soup. It always seemed to work when we were kids, so most of us continued on this association of “when you are sick, you need soup”. But is there actually any merit to this? Is it just the psychological effects of having someone that takes care of you bringing you a warm meal, or could it be that ingredients in the soup actually help your body in fighting off infections? Let’s jump in this together, shall we?
Disclaimer: I’d like to start off by saying that what I will be talking about is truly home-made soup, not Lipton’s Chicken Noodle, not Campbell’s, and not Mr. Noodles as these are heavily processed foods void of nutrients.
The Broth
You can’t have a soup without the broth, so let’s start with the basics. Chicken broth is generally made from a chicken carcass, a.k.a. a chicken bone broth. You might have heard already of the bone broth fads so you might already have a clue where I am going with this. Bone broth is extremely rich in many minerals, lipids, and proteins- among which is collagen.
Collagen is a protein that plays a structural role in many of our tissues such as the joints, bones, hair, skin, nails, and intestinal lining. When you are sick with a gastro for instance, the digestive tube can be irritated which translates into those unpleasant symptoms of nausea and diarrhea. When the digestive lining is irritated it can release the tight junctions between our intestinal cells and become “leaky”. This can then lead to systemic inflammation in the body and if it is not addressed, can invite the development of several serious conditions, such as autoimmune disorders. But, fear not! Collagen to the rescue! Ingesting collagen-rich foods like bone both can help re-establish the integrity of the intestinal walls. Which will in turn reduce inflammation in the gut, and reduce the symptoms of irritation. Hurray! This is the number one reason that chicken broth is fantastic for when you are feeling under the weather.
The second reason lies in lipids a.k.a. fats. Gasp! I know, a lot of people are afraid of this word, but I cannot stress it enough: fats are essential to our health! Every one of our cells are made up of lipids, so to be able to restore them and make sure that they are functioning properly we need to provide them with lipids from our food. Of course we should always prioritize organic, especially when it comes to lipids.
The third reason (but not final – the list could go on!) a hot bowl of homemade soup is a great way to help your body recover from illness is that bone broths are very rich in several types of vitamins and minerals that play various metabolic and structural roles. Among them are zinc, selenium, and vitamin A which play central roles in supporting our immune system.
For illnesses like gastro, I certainly recommend to sticking to just the chicken bone broth until you can stomach solid foods again. If, however, you have something more like a cold, then adding in other elements to your chicken soup can provide a myriad of benefits!
Onions, and garlic, and spices- oh my!
Onions and garlic contain several bioflavonoids and aromatic oils that will indeed stimulate your immune system to help kick your cold to the curb- not to mention they taste amazing in soup! In fact many of our common kitchen spices have anti-viral and antiseptic properties, in addition to heating up the body which can help kill off pathogens. Pantry staples like thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, cloves, cayenne are but a few examples on a very long list of beneficial herbs and spices. All that is left to do is to decide what flavour combinations you enjoy!
Veggies
No matter which way you look at it, vegetables will always be a great addition to any home-made chicken soup because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Carrots for instance, contain beta-carotene, otherwise known as pro-vitamin A. Potatoes are not only known for their potassium, but their fibers and carbohydrates that are used for energy. Try any combination of celery or leak along with it, for both flavour and benefit. We cannot forget the power of (well-cooked)mushrooms! Mushrooms have long been known as immunomodulators, which support immune functions without stimulating them. They are also one of the few food sources of vitamin D, which plays a key role in regulating immune functions.
Last but not least – the Chicken!
Like any well-rounded meal, sufficient amounts of protein are needed to help our body renew its structure and to support our enzymes. Assuming that you’ve already boiled the carcass for the broth, adding chicken meat to your soup is probably the easiest protein to use. Chicken is rich in niacin which helps assimilation and digestion, as well as several other B vitamins which help in energy production. Its richness in tryptophan, an essential amino acid, will also help your body produce melatonin to regulate your sleep. I’m sure it goes without saying that we all feel better after a full night’s sleep! Of course adding chicken to your soup isn’t your only option for a good source of protein. Vegetarians or vegans can use lentils or organic tofu to round out any soup broth into a complete meal!
So, as we have discovered today, chicken soup is indeed good for the soul – and also has some very legitimate health benefits, too! Looking for a bone broth recipe? Follow me on my Facebook page for recipe ideas, health facts, and other ideas on how to stay healthy – the natural way!
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