Scientists say they have confirmed what grandmothers have known for centuries -- that chicken soup is good for colds.
Any chicken soup, even with vegetables added seems to have anti-inflammatory properties which could explain why it soothes sore throats and eases the effects of miserable colds and flu.
They found that chicken soup and many of its ingredients helped stop the movement of neutrophils which are white blood cells that consume bacteria and cellular debris. These are released in great numbers by viral infections like colds. Neutrophil activity can then also stimulate the release of mucous from the mucous membranes, which may be the reason for coughs and stuffy noses associated with colds.
I’ll share a great chicken soup from Splendid Low-Carbing which my son, Jonathan, really enjoys.
MULLIGATAWNY SOUP
2 tbsp Healthy Butter, page 96
½ cup chopped onion
1 green pepper or carrot, finely chopped
1 apple, finely chopped
1 tbsp Thickening Agent, page 109
(or Thicken/Thin Not Starch)
2 tsp medium curry powder
¼ tsp salt
8 cups water
1 can tomato sauce
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crumbled
1 tbsp Splenda Granular
2 tsp lemon juice
12 oz cooked chicken, cubed
In deep, heavy saucepan, melt Healthy Butter, page 96. Add onion, green pepper and apple. Saute 5 minutes. Stir in Thickening Agent, page 109, curry powder and salt. Gradually stir in water. Stir in tomato sauce, chicken bouillon cubes, Splenda Granular and lemon juice. Bring to boil and stir occasionally. Simmer at medium-low heat 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent vegetables from sticking to bottom of saucepan. Add chicken. Simmer 10 minutes longer.
Helpful Hints: A food processor makes short work of chopping vegetables and apple finely. For children, stir some cooked macaroni into their portion, if desired, or for adults use low-carb pasta, such as Dreamfields elbow macaroni.
Nutritional Analysis: 12 servings, 1 cup each, 95.3 cal, 9.7 g pro, 2.9 g fat, 7.1 g carbs