| You've likely heard it proclaimed throughout your entire | | | | comforting meal that helps keep your body hydrated. |
| life: chicken soup is good medicine. | | | | To get the full benefits, of course, we recommend |
| Whether it was your mother, grandmother, or a | | | | homemade chicken soup using only natural ingredients. |
| Campbell's soup commercial handing out the advice, a | | | | The next time the cold bug has you down, stay warm, |
| steaming bowl of chicken soup has been touted as | | | | get a lot of rest, and try slurping away on one of |
| the cure for just about every ailment, from the | | | | these three chicken soup recipes (maybe you can |
| common cold to a nasty scrape on the knee. | | | | coax someone else into making one of them for you!) |
| But is chicken soup, in and of itself, really a "medicine" | | | | b> Dr. Rennard's Chicken Soup |
| of sorts? Does it actually possess healing capabilities, | | | | 1 large roasting chicken or baking hen (6 to 7 pounds) |
| or is its magic all in our heads? | | | | 1 package chicken wings or drumsticks (10 to 12 |
| Back in the Day | | | | pieces) |
| Around the 12th century trusted healers started to | | | | 10 medium carrots, peeled |
| prescribe "the broth of fowl" for their ill patients. It was | | | | 3 large onions, peeled and quartered |
| during that time that Egyptian Jewish physician and | | | | 3 parsnips, peeled |
| philosopher, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimonides, started to | | | | 1 large sweet potato, peeled |
| write extensively about the benefits of chicken soup. | | | | 2 turnips, peeled |
| The ancient healer wrote, "The meat taken should be | | | | 6 stalks celery |
| that of hens or roosters and their broth should also be | | | | 1 bunch parsleysalt and pepper to taste |
| taken because this sort of fowl has virtue in rectifying | | | | 1. |
| corrupted humours." | | | | Wash the whole chicken and chicken parts. Place in |
| Maimonides used his 'fowl brew' to treat such things | | | | 8-quart soup pot, fill three-quarters full with water and |
| like hemorrhoids, constipation, and even leprosy. He | | | | bring to a boil. Add carrots, onion, parsnips, sweet |
| strongly believed and especially praised the brew's | | | | potato and turnips. |
| healing power for respiratory illnesses like the common | | | | 2. |
| cold. | | | | Simmer covered for 1-1/2 hours. Add celery and |
| Since then, many researchers and scientists have | | | | parsley and cook for another 45 minutes. Spoon out |
| pondered the question of whether or not chicken soup | | | | the chicken and bones. |
| has any real health benefits to patients suffering from | | | | 3. |
| a cold. Some have even done experiments to see if | | | | Remove the vegetables along with a small amount of |
| there is such proof. | | | | the broth; puree, then stir back into the soup. Salt and |
| Is the Proof in the Soup? | | | | pepper to taste. |
| Dr. Stephen Rennard, MD at the University of | | | | Stephen Rennard, M.D., is chief of pulmonary medicine |
| Nebraska Medical Center, thought his family's chicken | | | | at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in |
| soup really did work, but as a scientist, he wanted | | | | Omaha. The recipe actually is a time-tested family |
| proof. | | | | recipe, handed down by his wife's grandmother. /b> |
| "One day we were discussing chicken soup," Rennard | | | | b> |
| explains. "My wife says that grandma says this is good | | | | This is a mild but spicy chicken soup, flavored with the |
| for colds, and I said maybe it has some | | | | very unique flavor of galangal ("kha" in Thai) which |
| anti-inflammatory action." | | | | creates a heavenly taste when combined with hot |
| Rennard tested his theory and added his wife's home | | | | chile peppers, coconut milk, lime leaves and |
| made chicken soup to white blood cells, called | | | | lemongrass. |
| neutrophils. To his surprise, the soup did slow the | | | | Ingredients |
| neutrophils. In fact, he claims that chemicals in the | | | | 16 fluid ounces organic chicken soup broth |
| broth-based elixir clears a stuffy nose by inhibiting | | | | 4-5 kaffir lime leaves, shredded |
| inflammation of the cells in the nasal passages. | | | | 4 or 5 2 inch pieces fresh lemongrass, bruised to |
| Dr. Rennard did admit that there needed to be more | | | | release flavor |
| studies conducted, but believes his findings are one | | | | 1 inch cube (or a bit more) galangal sliced thinly |
| more piece to complete the puzzle. | | | | 4 tablespoons fish sauce |
| Since Dr. Rennard's findings in the early 1990's, several | | | | 2 tablespoons lime juice |
| studies have since agreed with his results, and show | | | | 4 oz organic chicken breast cut into smallish bite sized |
| chicken soup as a "relief" for the common cold, not a | | | | pieces |
| "cure." All research agrees that the soup helps break | | | | 5 fluid ounces coconut milksmall red Thai chili peppers, |
| up congestion and eases the flow of nasal secretions. | | | | slightly crushed (to taste)coriander (cilantro) leaves to |
| In addition, many say it also inhibits the white blood cells | | | | garnish. |
| that trigger the inflammatory response (causing sore | | | | Note the number of red peppers is a personal choice. |
| throats and the production of phlegm.) | | | | It can be as few as half a chili per diner, toas many as |
| The "Guts" of Chicken Soup | | | | 8-10 per diner, but the dish should retain a balance of |
| When you are feeling under the weather, it seems that | | | | flavors and not be overwhelmend by the chili peppers. |
| everything hot helps to make you feel better. | | | | We suggest about 8-12 chili peppers for this recipe. |
| However, the good thing about chicken soup is that - | | | | Method |
| properly prepared such as the recipes below - it is | | | | Heat the stock, add the lime leaves, lemongrass, |
| loaded with valuable nutrients. This includes: | | | | galangal, fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir thoroughly and |
| Chicken: Chicken contains an amino acid called | | | | bring to a boil. Add the chicken and coconut milk, then |
| cysteine, a substance released when you make the | | | | the chili peppers. Bring back to the boil. Once boiling, |
| soup. This amino acid is similar to the drug | | | | lower the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes (until |
| acetylcysteine, which is prescribed by doctors to | | | | the chicken is cooked through). Amish Chicken Noodle |
| patients with bronchitis. It thins the mucus in the lungs, | | | | Soup |
| making it easier to cough out. And hot chicken vapors | | | | 3 lb. grass-fed chicken |
| have been proven more effective than hot water | | | | 2 qts. water |
| vapors in clearing out the cold in your nose. | | | | 2 tsp. salt |
| Carrots: Carrots, one of the routine vegetable | | | | 1 1/2 c. organic chicken stock |
| ingredients found in chicken soup, are the best natural | | | | 2 c. celery, chopped |
| source of beta-carotene. The body takes that | | | | 2 c. carrots, chopped |
| beta-carotene and converts it to vitamin A. Vitamin A | | | | 1 tart apple, chopped |
| helps prevent and fight off infections by enhancing the | | | | 1 c. onions, chopped |
| actions of white blood cells that destroy harmful | | | | Dash pepper |
| bacteria and viruses. | | | | 4 c. egg noodles |
| Onions: Onions, another chicken soup regular, contains | | | | Place chicken in kettle with 2 quarts water. Cover until |
| quercetin, a powerful anti-oxidant that is also a natural | | | | tender (about 2 1/2 hours). Remove chicken from |
| anti-histamine, and anti-inflammatory. | | | | kettle and strain broth. De-bone chicken and return to |
| Final Note | | | | kettle with strained broth. |
| While chicken soup isn't a cure for a cold, it does help | | | | Add chicken stock, celery, carrots, apple, onions, and |
| alleviate some of the annoying symptoms that come | | | | pepper and cook until vegetables are tender. |
| with it. And, if nothing else, it definitely is a delicious, | | | | |