For centuries chicken soup has been recognised for it’s ability to treat a cold or flu. The Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides wrote of it’s virtues in the 12th century, recommending it for cold and flu sufferers.

Though is there any validity to these claims? Good news for fans of the soup, scientists agree, chicken soup is packed full of good stuff.

As the chicken simmers it releases the amino acid cysteine from it’s bones. Cysteine reduces the build up of mucus and helps you breathe easier.

Further good news, research shows that chicken soup is not any good for colds, it is also good for the heart. It reduces swelling and helps the thickening of blood vessels.

One theory as to chickens secret weapon is a protein found in almost all meat, though for some reason the protein extracted from chicken is effective, while the protein form other meats is not.

Chicken soup may be so effective as it hits the cold from several angles. The chicken acts as an anti-inflammatory, helping relieve coughing and and congestion. While other ingredients in the soup such as pepper, act as cough medicine, suppressing coughs and reducing mucus. The heat of the soup loosens congestion, while the broth helps hydrate the body. And don’t forget the goodness from vegetables and herbs added to the soup. Parsley, garlic, onion, carrot... all part of a good chicken soup

A simple soup recipe is as follows.

In a large pot, cover a cleaned whole chicken with cold water and bring to a boil. Add vegetables such as, onion, parsnips, carrots, turnips. Boil for about an hour and a half. Add celery, parsley and garlic. Cook for another 45 minutes. Remove chicken bones. you can leave the chicken meat in or take it out, the nutrients from the chicken are now infused in the broth. If you prefer a smooth soup you can put it through a food processor, though I prefer to use a potato masher to break up all the larger chunks while still maintaining a nice chunky home style soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.

And for those cold and flu sufferers not adept in the kitchen, even a good store bought chicken soup has been shown to be effective in fighting a cold.

And get well soon.