Influenza does not heal? treat only with chicken soup

(Photo: thinkstock)

In the rainy season, everyone could be susceptible to colds and flu. But not everyone is so worried about this because usually when the flu overdo attacked, they live eating chicken soup has long been believed to relieve the flu.

Recently, a new study has also revealed the secret behind the efficacy of chicken soup to ease cold symptoms. According to a study published in the American Journal of Therapeutics, the chicken soup contains a compound called carnosine which helps the immune system to fight the flu in the early stages.

Yet, researchers caution that these benefits will end when the soup was excreted or removed from the body so you need to have an adequate supply of chicken soup.

Another study of Miami also showed that chicken soup contains more than a placebo effect. To prove it, researchers observed the flow of air and mucus in the nose of the 15 study participants were asked to drink cold water, hot water or chicken soup. As a result, hot water shown to help improve the movement of mucus in the nose, including clearing the airways and relieve nasal congestion.

Yet, the chicken soup provide benefits more than hot water because chicken soup increases the protection function of cilia or tiny hairs in the nose that are there to prevent germs enter the body.

Similarly, a team of researchers from the University of Nebraska found that the combination of vegetables and chicken in the soup also helps reduce inflammation of the airways that cause nasal congestion.

Researchers also suspect, in addition to the compound carnosine in chicken soup, there is also a combination of other compounds that increase the efficacy of these foods are organosulfida (naturally found in garlic and onions) and vitamin D were shown to stimulate the production of immune cells called macrophages. There is also the effect of vitamin C on high and low number of neutrophils fan other immune compounds that interferon.

So also with vitamin A and carotenoids are abundant in carrots and helps produce antibodies. Not including vitamin E and zinc can affect the concentration of one type of white blood cells ie lymphocytes in patients with influenza who eat chicken soup.

Just as quoted by the Daily Mail, Friday (28/12/2012), some experts also revealed another reason why this soup is recommended that due to the nutritional content is more easily absorbed than when nutrients were obtained from solid foodstuffs.

Source:  Daily Mail