Soup is a quick, hot meal that offers plenty of health benefits. The healthiest soups include fresh, low-fat ingredients and a minimum of salt and extra fat. leftovers can be used up in a soup pot and new variations of favorite recipes can be created, since soup lends itself to experimentation.
According to scientific studies, chicken soup does in fact have medicinal value, which means that technically, according to the FDA Guidelines, it should be classified as a drug, and we should have to get prescription for it. In 2000, Dr. Stephen Rennard of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha conducted laboratory tests to determine why chicken soup might help colds. Using blood samples from volunteers, he showed that the soup inhibited the movement of neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell that defends against infection. Dr. Rennard theorizes that by inhibiting the migration of these infection-fighting cells in the body, chicken soup essentially helps reduce upper respiratory cold symptoms.
The researchers couldn’t identify the exact ingredients in the soup that made it effective against colds but say it may be the combination of vegetables and chicken that work together. The tested soup contained chicken, onions, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, celery stems, parsley, salt and pepper. The researchers also compared commercial soups and found many of them also had a similar inhibitory effect.
Another study by Mount Sinai researchers in Miami also suggests that chicken soup has more than just a placebo effect. They looked at how chicken soup affected air flow and mucus in the noses of 15 volunteers who drank cold water, hot water or chicken soup. In general, the hot fluids helped increase the movement of nasal mucus, but chicken soup did a better job than the hot water, according to the 1978 report, also published in Chest. Chicken soup also improves the function of protective cilia, the tiny hair like projections in the nose that prevent contagions from entering the body, according to a 1998 Coping With Allergies and Asthma report..
Anti-Inflammatory Effect:
A 2000 study published in CHEST suggested that the mild anti-inflammatory effect conferred by chicken soup could be one of the reasons behind the soup’s ability to mitigate symptomatic upper respiratory tract infections like the common cold. Typically, when an individual comes down with a cold, the body responds with inflammation in the upper respiratory tract. The inflammatory response in turn signals white blood cells (WBCs) to migrate to the region. This migration of WBCs into upper respiratory tract may contribute to the commonly encountered cold symptoms, such as stuffy noses. When the researchers measured the ability of the WBCs to migrate through a filter from one side of a chamber to the other side, they found that fewer cells migrated to the other side of the chamber in the presence of chicken soup. As a result, the scientists of the study propose that some ingredient in the soup may be responsible for slowing or blocking the migration of these WBCs to the upper respiratory tract and thus, aid in relieving cold symptoms. Nevertheless, from this study of chicken soup (made from ingredients including chicken, onions, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, celery, parsley, salt, and pepper), the researchers were unable to identify the biologically active compound. A 2012 study published in the American Journal of Therapeutics suggested that a compound called carnosine, which is found in sources like chicken soup and chicken breast, could help inhibit the pro inflammatory conditions typically associated with the initial stages of viral infections and prevent the development of the common cold.
Increases Movement of Nasal Fluids:
Although hot fluids typically aid in the movement of nasal mucus, chicken soup can be superior to hot water in increasing the movement of nasal mucus, clearing the airways, and easing congestion. This insight into chicken soup is based upon a study that examined the nasal mucus velocity of 15 healthy subjects who drank cold water, hot water, or chicken soup. The results of this research (published in a 1978 article in CHEST) demonstrated that compared with hot water and cold water, hot chicken soup led to improved nasal mucus velocity. Furthermore, according to a 1998 report from Coping with Allergies and Asthma, chicken soup may improve the ability of the tiny hairline projections in the nose (called cilia) to prevent infectious particles from afflicting the body.
Provides various nutrients:
The international journal of cancer has concluded that eating foods rich in vitamin E and C and Beta Carotene may lower risk of cervical cancers after researchers found that cervical cancer risk was about one half lower for those on high vitamin E diet, one half lower for those on high vitamin C diet, and nearly one half lower for those on a high Beta Carotene diet. The American Heart Association recommends adults consume eight or more servings of
fruits and vegetables every day. That’s 4 ½ cups. Soups can contribute to that total. Almost any vegetable lends itself to use in soup, from creamy squash or tomato bisques to vegetable beef or chicken vegetable soup. Add fresh or frozen vegetables to canned soups to increase the servings of vegetables and add flavor.
Soups made with beans and lean meats such as fish provide lean protein. Beans also give you fiber. Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risk of cancer, particularly prostate cancer, according to Penn State University. Vegetables in soup contain many vitamins, such as A and C. Cream soups supply calcium and vitamin D. Most soups, if made with lean meat, are low in fat, making them a good choice for anyone concerned about fat in his diet. Use fat-free broths and lean meat to reduce the fat content of soups. Skimmed milk for cream soups; or, instead of milk, you can use pureed white beans to thicken soup. To further reduce the fat content of your soup without sacrificing flavor, chill it and skim off the fat before reheating and serving.
Hydrating Properties:
Because soup contains so much water it fills up with fewer calories. As per a research conducted at Penn State University, it was discovered that students who ate chicken and rice soup instead of a chicken and rice casserole, consumed fewer calories yet reported being equally satisfied. (Barbara Rolls,)
Therapeutic uses of ingredients used in soups:
Garlic: A 2001 study published in Advances in Therapy demonstrated through a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment that the group receiving garlic supplements had significantly fewer colds than the placebo group. Additionally, when afflicted with the common cold, those who received the garlic supplements recovered more quickly than those who were part of the placebo group. Although the details behind garlic’s ability to exhibit antiviral properties are not well understood, a 2009 review published by The Cochrance Library states that garlic’s sulfur-containing derivatives may play a role in its antiviral effects.
Onions: According to a 2013 review published in Critical Reviews of Food Science and Nutrition, the major onion flavonoid (a compound with antioxidant effects) is a molecule known as quercetin. Furthermore, a 2005 study published in the Federation of European Biochemical Societies Journal reported that quercetin may exhibit antiviral properties.
Ginger: A 2013 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology demonstrated that fresh ginger is effective against human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) infections, which are responsible for a wide range of respiratory illnesses including the common cold. The authors report that fresh ginger prevents infection from this virus by blocking viral attachment and internalization. Most canned and dried soups are extremely salty and they usually contain monosodium glutamate which adds to the total sodium content.in addition to being low in sodium. Homemade soups can also have a full flavour derived from herbs and spices and lack of salt can be disguised by using unusual ingredients such as oranges and other fruits. Most granulated soup bases and many paste products are highly salted. When using these products, the salt listed in this product should be deleted or reduced. Soup bases can also be used to prepare sauces, gravies and stuffing.
Sadiqa Shafiq Qureshi is researcher at Institute of Home Science, University of Kashmir.
sadiqaqureshi9@gmail.com