Is it true that chicken broth is an effective means of combating the symptoms of colds?

Drinking chicken broth is one of the most common folk remedies, with the help of which people with SARS are trying to alleviate their condition. We figured out if this method has scientifically proven effectiveness.

The fact that chicken broth helps in the treatment of colds is not only written Manufacturers Birds and culinary sitesbut also Russian federal media, calling it is one of the best "medicines" with SARS, as well as Russian -speaking publications And Information agencies In other countries. Recipes of special broth from the common cold can be found on sports sites and c Blogs. At the same time, the authors of other publications argue that the chicken broth as a folk remedy for the fight against SARS Useless Or even Dangerous.

Science still Not known No proven an effective way of treating colds. Popular antiviral agents sold in pharmacies or are homeopathic drugs (in fact, “dummies” that do not contain the active substance), or Not shown result in randomized clinical trials. For example, in one such research The homeopathic "Ergoferon" with the antiviral "Kagotel" were compared. It is significant that Kagocel lost in effectiveness to the drug in which there was actually no active matter. No The proven effectiveness of the Homeopathoron, Anaferon, Aflubin and Oscillococcinum, popular for the fight against colds, as well as the antiviral Arbidol, Imodon, Ingaverin, Polyoxidonia, Polodyan and others. Doctors are so skeptical of the treatment of colds with the help of drugs, which even among them even among them. everyday life A joke: "Without treatment, a cold will last a week, and with the treatment it will take place in seven days." The only thing that modern science can offer a cold is various Means To relieve symptoms. So, the nasal congestion can be removed with antihistamines or vasoconstricting drops (they should not be used for more than a few days, otherwise their effectiveness can decrease And there will be a need to constantly increase the dose), discomfort in the throat can relieve lollipops with painkillers, relieve pain in muscles and joints - analgesics, and knocking down the temperature if necessary - antipyretic.

Chicken broth They counted Healing still in antiquity. In 60, the Roman army doctor Pedaniy Dioscoride noted his benefits for colds, and Arieta Cappadocian (I - II century) added that boiled chicken could help with diseases of the respiratory tract. Later, in the XII century, the theologian and doctor Moses Maimonid He wrote On the benefits of chicken broth with a number of diseases: a cold, asthma, hemiplegia, asthenia in patients and recovering.

Supporters of the opinion that chicken broth helps to fight SARS, note several of its characteristics. Firstly, the temperature-the broth is usually supplied hot. The use of both warm and hot meals Maybe To alleviate the symptoms of colds, contributing to the better departure of the nasal mucus and, therefore, the restoration of nasal breathing. Back in 1978, doctors from the department of lung diseases of the Mount-Sinai medical center in Miami (USA) Spent experiment. They asked 15 healthy volunteers to drink in sips or through a straw chicken soup, hot and cold water and fixed the speed of separation of the nasal mucus in each case. Drinking hot water with sips increased this indicator with 6.2 mm per minute before the experiment starts up to 8.4 mm in 5 minutes. after. The chicken broth, drunk through the tube, accelerated the process only up to 7.8 mm per minute, and drunk with sips - up to 9.2 mm. Cold water (its subjects drank only with sips) had the opposite effect - the mucus separation speed decreased to 4.5 mm per minute. Scientists suggested that the chicken broth either contain certain substances that stimulate this process, or aromatic molecules have the effect. However, the effect of all three liquids that the participants in the experiment did not last long - after half an hour, the studied parameter returned to the initial value. However, even such a short acceleration of the separation of the nasal mucus can alleviate the condition of the sick - at this time he can normalize nasal breathing, and the nasal congestion will not become so pronounced.

Secondly, chicken broth, like other meat products and dishes, has the taste of minds, which, as showed The study of 2014, stimulates appetite. In turn, a decrease in appetite is a common problem accompanying colds. At the same time, the use of products with the taste of minds, Improves Hypotage absorption. Immediately after this taste is recognized by taste receptors, the brain receives a special signal from them and “transmits information” to the digestive tract, which, thanks to this, is prepared in advance for the assimilation of the protein. Finally, with a cold, food often seems tasteless, and with the minds Promotes The development of saliva, which plays an important role in a sense of taste. Of course, this property of chicken broth in itself will not affect the severity or duration of SARS, however, the regular intake of nutrients will give the body the necessary forces for an effective struggle with the disease. Although viruses causing colds, usually do not affect the digestive tract directly, type A and B influenza viruses in children can To be accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and chicken broth, thanks to the minds, is able to alleviate the condition of such patients. Although other meat soups have the taste of minds, chicken compared to pork and beef Contains More proteins with indispensable amino acids are characterized by a low fat and cholesterol content.

Finally, individual studies show that chicken soup helps reduce inflammatory activity. This is natural reaction The body for injury or disease is accompanied by the delivery of leukocytes and blood proteins to the focus of infection or to the place of damage to the tissue. The activity of leukocytes in the upper respiratory tract leads to unpleasant symptoms of colds: nasal congestion, sneezing and coughing. In 2000, scientists from the Medical Center Nebraski (USA) demonstratedthat in vitro (in a test tube) chicken broth suppresses the migration of neutrophils - a predominant type of leukocytes in circulating blood. To prepare the broth, scientists took the carcass of chicken and additionally packaging of wings, onions, potatoes, parsnip, turnips, carrots, celery, parsley, salt and pepper. Researchers noted that both chicken itself and the vegetables included in the recipe can suppress the migration of neutrophils, but in the complex the effects of these products are enhanced. In 2022, scientists from agricultural university Hujun (China) Studied The immunomodulating activity of broths prepared from broilers or chickens, which were kept on a free walk. For experiments, the researchers took immunosuppressive mice that received either one of the broths or saline. A blood test of experimental animals showed that all chicken broths had an immunomodulating effect.

Thus, the existing scientific data confirm that the chicken broth accelerates the release of the nasal mucus more efficiently than hot water, enhances appetite, promotes digestion and easily absorbed. Separate experiments show that this dish has anti -inflammatory properties and due to this can also relieve symptoms of colds. At the same time, for the final conclusion regarding the benefits of chicken broth in SARS (in particular, to suppress inflammation) additional studies are required.

Image on the cover: Image by Christo anestev from Pixabay

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