This past week I have been reminded again just how, really, good chicken broth is. But first, let me tell you a funny story about how I thought it gross to drink any kind of meat broth!
When I was in my upper teens my good friend Elsie had just come home from work. She was hot, tired, and thirsty, and so she opened the refrigerator door to see what was to drink.
Ahh, fresh-pressed cider! She poured herself a glass and proceeded to take her first gulp.
Uuugghh! She spits the whole mouth full-back out again! IT WAS MEAT BROTH!
As she told the story I also nearly gagged, because the idea of drinking meat broth was not too appealing for me either!
But that has changed!
One of our boys was quite sick this past week, so I warmed up some chicken broth I had in the freezer for such a time as this.
Ohhh, talk about comfort. It just soothes you through and through!….and the taste-
Chicken Broth And The Common Cold
When you feel a sniffle or start getting achy all over, break out the chicken broth! It contains all the goodness of bone broth for long term immune health, plus the chicken has additional benefits to ease the acute symptoms of the common cold and flu.
* Stops the runny nose: research shows that chicken broth helps to reduce the inflammatory compounds that contribute to the runny nose, sneezing, and cough we get with colds and the flu. According to several studies, the amino acid, carnosine, provides potent anti-inflammatory action. Chicken broth has lots and lots of carnosine.
* Gets rid of the mucous: Chicken is also rich in the amino acid, cysteine, which thins mucus and helps the cilia, those tiny hairs lining the bronchi and lungs, to move mucus up and out of the lungs.
* Keeps you hydrated: Real chicken broth made from real bones is mostly liquid, so it prevents dehydration. If you are sweating from a fever, it is extra important to stay hydrated. The broth is much better than juice when you have a cold or flu because it contains easily digestible protein to help you stay nourished. So reach for the chicken broth instead of pumping yourself up with all that sugar from juice!
You can simply sip the warm broth plain, but by adding fresh garlic and ginger you will get an added boost in fighting your cold. Both garlic and ginger are great in helping to kill the viruses that cause cold and flu.
Simply add 1 cloveof chopped garlic and 1 inch of chopped fresh ginger to a cup of chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat and enjoy!
Here at the Nolt Homestead, we have chicken soup bones and chicken feet just waiting to be turned into broth to help you fight those nasty winter viruses!
Here’s to your health- Louise
