There is an opinion that chicken soup is almost a panacea for ailments that await a person in winter. But can this broth really bring any tangible benefits to our health? According to recent studies, yes.
The generalized results of two scientific papers published in the "American Journal of Therapy" showed that the special properties of chicken soup help the body not only cope with diseases, but also prevent them.
A study by Dr. Stephen Rennard of the University of Nebraska Medical University in the United States found that chicken soup contains such a rare chemical compound as carnosine, which helps the immune system fight the flu in the early stages of its development.
Using blood samples of volunteers, Rennard found that chicken soup can slow down the movement in the body of a certain type of white cells - neutrophils - that protect a person from infections. The scientist suggested that by inhibiting their movement through the body, soup helps to reduce the symptoms of a cold in the upper respiratory tract.
Unfortunately, Rennard was not able to determine which components of the dish are responsible for this. However, the scientist nevertheless presented the list of ingredients that they added to the soup: chicken, onions, sweet potatoes, turnips, parsnips, celery stalks, parsley, pepper, salt and carrots.
The second significant study on the properties of chicken soup belongs to specialists from Miami, who compared the effectiveness of the dish with the effectiveness of placebo. Then five volunteers drank cold water, five more - hot water, and the other five - chicken broth.
Observing the participants, the experts noticed that the movement of nasal mucus was significantly accelerated in the last group that used the broth just a few minutes after its use, which, in turn, helped clear the airways and relieve congestion. In addition, under the influence of the broth, the function of protective cilia located in the nasal openings and preventing the entry of infectious bacteria into the body was improved.
