Scientific
evidence supports granny's chicken broth and its healing properties. Sipping the hot soup and breathing in the steam helps clear
up congestion. If you were to google chicken broth on the worldwide web, quite simply you will discover every culture
has its own particular soup preparation just look at wiki!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_soup
All research agrees that
the soup helps break up congestion and eases the flow of nasal secretions. In addition, many say it also inhibits the white blood cells that trigger the inflammatory response (causing
sore throats and the production of phlegm.)
The
"Guts" of Chicken Soup
When you are feeling under the weather, it seems that
everything hot helps to make you feel better. However, the good thing about chicken soup is that - properly prepared such
as the recipes below - it is loaded with valuable nutrients.
Chicken:
Chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine, a substance released when you make the soup. This amino acid is similar to
the drug acetylcysteine, which is prescribed by doctors to patients with bronchitis. It thins the mucus in the lungs, making
it easier to cough out. And hot chicken vapors have been proven more effective than hot water vapors in clearing out the cold
in your nose.
Carrots: Carrots, one of the routine vegetable ingredients
found in chicken soup, are the best natural source of beta-carotene. The body takes that beta-carotene and converts it to
vitamin A. Vitamin A helps prevent and fight off infections by enhancing the actions of white blood cells that destroy harmful
bacteria and viruses.
Onions: Onions,
another chicken soup regular, contains quercetin, a powerful anti-oxidant that is also a natural anti-histamine, and anti-inflammatory.
The next time the cold bug has you down, stay warm, get a lot of rest, and try slurping away on one of these chicken
soup recipes
Spices
that are often added to chicken soup, such as garlic and pepper (all ancient treatments for respiratory diseases), work the
same way as modern cough medicines, thinning mucus and making breathing easier.
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Sickbed Chicken
Soup
1 whole (3-4 pounds) organic chicken
1 medium turnip quartered
2 leeks white part only cleaned thoroughly and quartered
1 small turnip quartered
3 ribs of celery with leaves halved
12 parsley stems
2 carrots
2 large onions
8 peppercorns
1/2 tsp dried thyme
5 stalks of celery
Dill
Coarse salt
Preparation:
Clean
the chicken and discard giblets or any other presents you've been given in the cavity. Salt the entire chicken inside
and out liberally with kosher or coarse salt. Let chicken stand for 35 minutes.
Wash
salt from chicken and place in a medium to large stockpot. Cover chicken with turnip, leeks, rutabaga/turnip, celery, parsley,
carrots, onions, peppercorns, and thyme. Cover with 4 or 5 quarts of cold water. Bring
to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to simmer. (Very important not to keep boiling). Simmer
for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, occasionally skimming the foam from the top.
Remove the chicken to a large platter when it is still firm and not falling apart. Remove
the meat from the chicken and save for sandwiches and salads.
Return the bones the pot and simmer for one more hour.
Strain the soup into a large bowl and discard everything in the strainer.
If
you don’t like the fat, although it’s the tastiest part, refrigerate long enough to allow hardened fat to form
on surface, then simply remove the fat.
Bring back up to heat with salt and pepper to taste
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