Healthy soup for colds. Why does chicken broth help cure colds and flu?

Chicken broth is a tasty and nutritious product that is easily absorbed by the human body. Since ancient times, it has been used to restore strength and strengthen the immune system in case of serious illnesses.

INCREASED IMMUNITY

It is known that chicken meat is superior to beef and lean pork in terms of protein. It contains polyunsaturated fatty acids to a greater extent than other types of meat, due to which it is not only well absorbed by the body, but also helps prevent ischemia, myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, and also maintains a normal level of metabolism and improves immunity.

VITAMINS

A loading dose of vitamins also contributes to the mobilization of the body’s protective functions.

Chicken meat contains large quantities of vitamin B2 (affects all types of metabolic processes, takes part in the regulation of carbohydrate and fat metabolism, promotes the normal functioning of the central nervous system, maintains healthy skin and nails), vitamin B6 (plays an important role in the regulation of protein and fat metabolism, strengthens the nervous system, maintains healthy skin), vitamin B9 (plays an important role in the processes of hematopoiesis, is involved in the regulation of protein metabolism, increases the body's resistance to adverse environmental factors, is necessary for a healthy pregnancy), vitamin B12 (strengthens the immune system , normalizes blood pressure, is necessary for the health of the reproductive organs, prevents depression and insomnia).

Chicken broth also contains a lot of useful minerals >>

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MINERALS

Chicken broth contains a large amount of iron in an easily digestible form, as well as sulfur, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, magnesium and copper, but there is almost as little bad cholesterol in broth cooked with white chicken meat (breast) as in fish .

Magnesium is responsible for the normal functioning of nerve cells, helps cope with fatigue, relieves irritability, and also improves memory. Phosphorus strengthens muscles, bones and teeth. To strengthen bones, zinc is also necessary, which, in addition, promotes rapid healing of wounds and is especially useful for improving brain function in older people.

HEALTHY HEART

Recent studies have confirmed scientists' assumption that chicken broth improves the condition of the cardiovascular system, affecting the size of the heart muscle and the thickness of the walls of blood vessels, without having any effect on blood pressure. Even a coffee cup of concentrated chicken broth, drunk daily by an adult man for a long time, helped normalize the heart rate. Researchers associate this effect with a specific peptide protein contained in fresh chicken.

In addition, any broth helps reduce blood viscosity, thins it, preventing the formation of blood clots.

Chicken broth is also good for stomach diseases >>

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Broths made from chicken meat are considered one of the healthiest and most satisfying dishes. They are prescribed to people who are undergoing rehabilitation. Such soups are used to treat colds, during the postoperative period, and when following a diet. All this is aimed at speedy recovery of the body after the stress received during the period of illness. From this dish, the body absorbs beneficial microelements, amino acids and essential vitamins, which block infection and alleviate cold symptoms.

Benefits of broth

Most likely, many have heard about the benefits of chicken broth from their grandmothers and parents. After all, in their youth, when pharmaceuticals were not so developed and there were the same pills for many diseases, everyone was treated with improvised folk remedies. But the paradox is that chicken soup really helps against many pathological conditions, the patient gets better, and his body gets stronger. And even modern people resort to this simple method of treatment, because they know for sure that this dish will help a sick person recover.

Chicken broth makes it easier to cope with a cold due to the large amount of proteins that are included in its composition. This soup has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, relieves swelling and congestion, thins mucus in the bronchi and eliminates pain when coughing in the chest area. The broth reduces fever and reduces excessive sweating of a sick person. Another important factor is that the liquid that enters the body begins to contribute to a gradual decrease in body temperature, helping to avoid sudden changes in temperature and hyperthermia. With a rapid decrease in temperature, severe chills may begin, which is also unfavorable for the patient.

Doctors strongly recommend consuming the soup slightly warmed up so that it is comfortable to drink without a spoon. Do not bring the broth to a boil. It is best to drink chicken broth from a mug. In the first days of illness, you only need to pour liquid, without meat or other products.

The broth contains cysteine, an amino acid that helps normalize the functioning of the immune system and helps people with cardiovascular diseases. People who have weak immunity should definitely consume foods containing amino acids. Chicken meat contains them in sufficient quantities necessary to maintain health. During the period of influenza and ARVI, cysteine, which is part of chicken broth, helps to liquefy viscous sputum and promotes its painless exit from the body.

Warm soup promotes the production of white blood cells, which significantly increases the body's metabolism. When a person is sick, all processes slow down, and beneficial microelements are not absorbed at all in the body. With the help of hot liquid, the temperature in the larynx rises, making it easier to endure the inflammatory process. At this time, the production of leukocytes is stimulated, which strengthens the immune system and creates a barrier to the re-entry of bacteria into the body.

In addition, this soup is rich in vitamins B and C, which are involved in all life processes occurring in our body. Vitamins help the functioning of the central nervous system, improve blood circulation in the body, normalize sleep and fight depression by helping to produce the necessary hormones.

Enormous benefits for a sick body lie in the chemical composition of chicken broth. Chicken meat contains a large amount of trace elements and minerals (potassium, sulfur, fluorine, cobalt, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium), as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids and essential oils, collagen.

How to cook?

Chicken broth should be consumed as soon as the first cold symptoms appear. This will help you cope with the disease more easily and avoid its exacerbation.

It is believed that the best and richest decoction is obtained from poultry meat (preferably young). The meat of such chicken will be environmentally friendly and, therefore, much more healthy.

The recipe for making chicken soup is simple and understandable to everyone. To prepare the medicinal broth we will need the following ingredients:

  • 0.5 kg chicken fillet;
  • 1 small carrot;
  • 1 onion;
  • 3 bay leaves;
  • half a celery root;
  • 2-3 medium sized cloves of garlic;
  • black pepper (can be peas);
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt;
  • a small bunch of parsley.

Rinse the chicken fillet, place in a saucepan and cover with water. Place the pan on the stove and cook the broth over low heat. After the liquid boils, add a whole peeled onion to the soup. Carrots and celery should be cut into small slices, garlic and parsley should be finely chopped. You can grate one clove of garlic on a fine grater and add it to the broth - this will make the soup much more flavorful.

Place all ingredients, including bay leaf, into the broth and add salt to taste.

If foam has formed during the cooking process, it should be removed with a spoon.

The soup should be simmered over low heat for 45 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked. After this time, you should remove the meat, which can be used to prepare another dish. The broth should be strained through a strainer to prevent other ingredients from getting into the broth. Strained chicken soup should be drunk in small sips, no more than 300 ml per day.

You will learn how to cook chicken broth in the following video.

Contraindications

Like any good medicine, chicken soup has a number of contraindications.

  • This broth is not recommended for people diagnosed with pancreatitis. The soup has a very fatty base, the concentration of fat exceeds the norm that can be consumed by people with this diagnosis.
  • Small children should not overuse chicken broth. Moreover, it is not recommended for children under three years of age to consume the broth, as an allergic reaction is possible. It is impossible to reliably know exactly how the chicken was raised. Therefore, it is better not to put the little creature at risk, since its reaction to the soup will be unknown.

  • It is not recommended to consume too fatty and rich chicken broth for people who have problems with the liver, gall bladder and low stomach acidity. A low-calorie dietary soup made from poultry fillet, from which the skin and excess fat has been previously removed, is more suitable for them.
  • The quality and benefits of the broth directly depend on the bird from which it is prepared. Often, chicken suppliers skimp on the product, feed the birds low-quality feed, add growth hormones and inject antibiotics. In this regard, it is not recommended to cook poultry for too long, since the broth can absorb all the harmful substances from low-quality meat.

Who would refuse soup when the symptoms of flu, cold or simply feel unwell begin? Soups can and should be eaten in both cold and hot weather: after all, if you choose the right ingredients, light soup can become a real natural medicine that will supply our body with the vitamins and minerals it needs.

In this article you will find several recipes for preparing delicious and healthy soups that will help overcome flu symptoms such as fever, runny nose, fatigue, weakness, and so on.

1. Onion soup

Onion soup is a classic recipe. It is even served in restaurants, but this time our task is to prepare a dish so that it is easy for the body to digest it. This soup will help get rid of a runny nose and remove toxins that interfere with the correct functioning of the body.

Can also be added to broth a little: in small quantities it warms and helps to cope with a runny nose.

How to cook?

  1. First, lightly fry the onion in a little oil, add a pinch of salt. Fry it covered so that it releases as much water as possible. When the onion is soft, add a cup of vegetable broth and some cayenne pepper.
  2. You can blend the soup a little to give it a creamy texture.

It needs to be eaten hot.

Interesting fact: if you have a runny nose and want to quickly get rid of nasal congestion, put half an onion on your bedside table and leave it overnight - you will see that you will feel much better in the morning!

2. Light soup with wheat, garlic and seaweed

This dish is not only very tasty, but it is also an excellent medicine.

- This natural antibiotic, strengthening the immune system.

Millet is the only alkalizing culture. It is easily digested and helps the body fight acidity, which increases during illness.

Seaweed contains many minerals, they help cope with weakness- traditional companions of influenza. You can add, for example, nori seaweed or so-called “sea spaghetti” to the soup.

How to cook?

  1. Lightly fry three cloves of garlic in a little oil and add two cups of broth, two tablespoons of wheat flour and seaweed.
  2. Cook for 45 minutes.

3. Soup with celery, carrots and ginger

These three ingredients have a cleansing effect and will help reduce fever and remove toxic substances from the body. Plus, this dish is great for warming!

How to cook?

  1. Finely chop the celery and carrots, add water (you will need one and a half glasses) and add a little salt.
  2. Add two cloves of fresh or half a spoonful of ground ginger. Cook for 15-20 minutes.

This is a very light broth recipe that you can drink throughout the day. If you prefer a heartier soup, you can add whole grain rice or oats.


4. Soup with thyme and egg

This soup has long been used for medicinal purposes and is a traditional recipe in Catalonia: it is served with meat broth, bread and cheese.

Our recipe does not contain these ingredients, as we are interested in light meals, which will not complicate the digestion process.

It has a great advantage: it is not only a medicinal plant, but is also successfully used in cooking: it will give dishes the taste of real home cooking. If you have the flu, Thyme will help strengthen the immune system and it also has antiseptic properties and soothes coughs.

How to cook?

  1. Fry one clove of garlic and half an onion. You can add another vegetable (for example, cabbage, carrots, turnips, etc.). Add two cups of vegetable broth and a few sprigs of thyme (fresh or dried will do).
  2. When everything is cooked, you can also add a raw egg to the soup if you wish. Stir well until it dissolves. This should be resorted to in cases where you want the broth to be thicker, but you should not add an egg to it during the critical period of the disease.

This soup turns out to be very aromatic and perfectly helps with illness. If you do not have health problems, you can add toast with cheese to this dish.


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How does chicken soup help with a cold?

Chicken soup can temporarily relieve the condition of a patient with a cold, “breaking through” a stuffy nose, relieving a runny nose (rhinitis) and inflammation of the respiratory tract, as well as maintaining the level of fluid, salt, vitamins and minerals in the body.

An old "folk wisdom" says to "feed" the common cold and "starve" the fever: feed a cold and starve a fever. For a cold with clogged airways, hot chicken soup(as well as a warm drink) may provide temporary relief.

Salt and liquid in chicken soup helps regulate water-salt metabolism in the body, which is undoubtedly very important for the general condition of the patient. Noodles (vermicelli)- a carbohydrate that will give energy and help overcome lethargy and drowsiness. Vegetables (onions, carrots, celery, etc.) are vitamins and minerals, especially necessary for a child or adult weakened by a cold. Hot chili pepper is recommended for colds to pierce the nose and relieve runny nose. Steam coming from hot chicken soup, acts as an inhalation of the respiratory tract. Well, finally, chicken soup- traditional and familiar to everyone from childhood “mother’s” or “grandmother’s” comfort food, bringing saturation and pleasure.

Why is chicken soup better than any other?

If all of the above is true, then why complicate your life by preparing soup? You can just drink tea or even hot water.

Some researchers believe that relief from colds comes from chicken broth or a combination of chicken broth and vegetables. A 1998 study found that chicken soup improves the functioning of the nasal mucosa. In a recent University of Nebraska study, researchers took blood from volunteers who ate chicken soup for a cold. The analysis showed a change in the activity of neutrophils (one of the forms of leukocytes that protect the body from infections).

All these studies, alas, are not convincing yet, and the theory about the special impact is chicken soup on the body during a cold remains only a theory. Scientists also cannot determine which component chicken soup is so active. Therefore, I think that anyone delicious, hot and healthy soup will bring relief to a cold (see.

When a cold appears, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, and breathing problems immediately occur. Of course, at the initial stage you can do without the use of potent drugs; until the disease is advanced, it can be eliminated with safe folk remedies. Chicken broth has a good effect on colds.

This is a simple and affordable remedy that you can prepare yourself, but you should first consider its unique properties.

What are the benefits of chicken broth for a cold?

So how is chicken broth good for a cold? A bowl of this drug helps improve the condition of acute respiratory infections; it has a warming and invigorating effect on the entire body. But this is not all the benefits of meat soup; it contains a unique substance called cysteine, which is useful for various colds.

This is a naturally occurring amino acid that performs a number of beneficial functions:

  • Disinfects toxins and harmful substances;
  • Activates the body's defenses;
  • Causes clearing of mucus from the respiratory tract;
  • Liquefies mucus.

How is hot chicken broth good for a cold? Hot soup has an effect similar to inhalation; it eliminates sneezing, coughing, and helps cure a sore throat. This remedy also has a positive effect on the immune system.

When boiling tendons and bones, boiling water contains components that eliminate inflammation in the nasal cavity and relieve swelling in the throat. Protein, which is found in poultry meat, replenishes the body's strength and energy that it loses when fighting a cold.

Chicken broth recipe

The recipe for making healthy chicken broth is quite simple and easy. At the same time, it turns out to be healthy and nutritious; its use will replenish your strength, increase your immunity and improve your general condition.


To prepare chicken broth for colds, you should prepare the following ingredients:

  • Chicken fillet - 500 grams;
  • Medium carrot - 1 piece;
  • One onion;
  • Bay leaf - 3 pieces;
  • Celery root - ½ part;
  • Garlic - 2-3 cloves;
  • A little black pepper;
  • Salt to taste;
  • A small bunch of parsley.

After all the products are prepared, you can start preparing the broth. Chicken meat must be thoroughly washed, placed in a pan, and filled with water. Next, the container is placed on the stove; the broth needs to be prepared over low heat. Peel the onion and place it in a saucepan after the liquid has boiled.

Wash the carrots and celery root, peel and cut into medium slices. Peel the garlic cloves, wash the parsley and chop into small pieces with a knife. One clove can be grated on a fine grater and added to the broth, this will give it additional flavor.

Place all the ingredients in the broth, add some salt and pepper, and if desired, you can add a few bay leaves. Cover the pan with a lid and leave to simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Once the allotted time has passed, the meat can be removed and used to prepare another dish.

Conclusion

Chicken broth for colds is considered a useful medicine that helps improve your overall condition. The main thing is to prepare it correctly, and it is not so difficult. It should contain only poultry meat, vegetables, and herbs. And before consuming the decoction, it is better to strain it, so that there is nothing unnecessary in its composition. Regular use can eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of the disease and increase the body's defenses.