I started to feel lousy the day after Thanksgiving (stuffy head, dry throat, tired), and I've been eating a lot of chicken soup (chicken noodle soup, specifically), and I was wondering why we are supposed to eat the stuff when we are sick and why I immediately craved it once I got sick. Does it really have the power to cure you, or is it just an old wive's tale passed down through the decades?
Yahoo! Answers has the, well, answer. Sort of. There is no conclusive proof that chicken soup helps when you're sick, but Dr. Stephen Rennard tested his grandma's recipe and came to the conclusion that the soup inhibits inflammation in the nasal cavity. Drkoop.com and others say it has amino acids that help. Another doc says that it creates mucus that soothes the throat. Mmmmm...think of that the next time you're eating chicken soup. I've also heard that the starch in the noodles helps in some way.
Me? I just think it tastes really good, and really makes me feel good when I'm sick, especially on a chilly, late fall day.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-28-2006 @ 4:56PM
Andrea said...
As soon as I feel a cold or the flu coming on, I grab some chicken noodle soup out of the freezer. I make large batches and freeze it just for those times that one of us is under the weather. It's also good for breakfast if you've pulled an all-nighter. Clears the fog nicely.
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11-28-2006 @ 4:59PM
Robyn said...
i also like soup when i have a sinus infection cuz the steam opens me up a bit. plus i just don't want anything sharp or dry in my mouth--maybe cuz the sinus infection gives me dry mouth? and if my throat is raw i don't want any acid-y tomato stuff.
also, i think the vitamins and protein can't hurt.
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11-28-2006 @ 5:34PM
Kacee said...
Somewhere along the way I heard that your body craves salt when you are sick. I think it has something to do with the body's ability to absorb fluids more easily after consuming salt. There aren't many foods saltier than chicken noodle soup! So interesting about inhibiting inflamation in the nasal cavity--I need to keep some on hand...
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11-28-2006 @ 11:40PM
ira b said...
I always liked grapefruit or other citrus fruits better than chicken soup. I think it works better to knock out a cold.
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11-29-2006 @ 2:45AM
Casey said...
I too am addicted to chicken soup, not just for when I get sick but even otherwise when my mood demands something simple and quick. My mum used to make me a tradition soup without the noodles but which has loads of veggies. That's always a soothing relief to a sore throat.
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11-29-2006 @ 11:39AM
SteveC said...
Even better than chicken noodle soup when you're feeling sick (seems to me) is (Vietnamese soup) Pho. Very similar in some ways, but more complicated flavor, and comes in those giant porcelain bowls.
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12-01-2006 @ 11:41AM
John said...
Who remembers comedian Alan King? He did standup, and he was popular in the 1970's (he passed away in 2004, I believe).
He spoke about the curative properties of chicken soup--specifically, MOM's chicken soup. The warm vapors could help alleviate congestion, and the herbs & spices might have had medicinal effects, too. But everyone knows that it was the LOVE that Mom put into the soup that made you well!
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