On University of Dayton Week: Does chicken soup really help when you’re sick?
Colby Teeman, professor of dietetics and nutrition, gets to the meat of the matter.
I am an Assistant Professor of Dietetics and Nutrition at the University of Dayton. I am the graduate research coordinator for the Master’s program and teach courses in Nutritional Biochemistry, Advanced Clinical Nutrition, and Research. I am a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician and my research interests include the treatment of malnutrition, nutrition support, and the role of clinical dietitians in acute care settings.
Does Chicken Soup Really Help When You’re Sick?
Making chicken soup for someone under the weather has been a tradition for centuries. It goes all the way back to the Roman Army in 60 AD. But is there any real science behind chicken soup as a remedy for colds and flu, or is it just a comforting placebo?
One of the things that make chicken soup so tasty is its “umami” flavor, often described as a “meaty” taste. Some studies suggest umami can help boost appetite and improve digestion — two things that are particularly important when you’re sick, since loss of appetite and stomach issues are common cold and flu symptoms.
Chicken soup may also help by reducing inflammation in your nasal passages. Since inflammation in the upper respiratory tract is a major cause of stuffy noses, sneezing, coughing, and thick mucus, a bowl of soup might actually ease those symptoms. It seems that chicken soup can actually lower the ability of certain immune cells to gather in the inflamed nasal area.
And, of course, it’s important to consider the role of each individual ingredient in chicken soup that play unique roles in its ability to help you feel better. Chicken provides a complete source of protein to fight infection, vegetables deliver vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and noodles are a great source of simple carbohydrates to provide energy for recovery. Even the broth, with its many herbs and spices, helps loosen mucus and keeps you hydrated with fluids and electrolytes.
For the best results, homemade chicken soup is the way to go. Canned versions, which are often heavily processed, just don’t pack the same punch when it comes to vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
In short, Grandma was onto something—homemade chicken soup really might help you feel better after all.
Read More:
[The Conversation] – Does chicken soup really help when you’re sick? A nutrition specialist explains what’s behind the beloved comfort food
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