Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Chicken soup
Chicken soup is a soup made of chicken broth, typically with chunks of chicken, potatoes, carrots, green peas, onions and other vegetables. Chicken soup is traditionally used in the United States as a folk-remedy for colds and flus, and fondly nicknamed "Jewish penicillin", as this tradition seems to have its origins with European Jews.
Research conducted by Dr. Stephen Rennard, professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and his colleagues at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, has shown that there might be some scientific basis for this folk belief, as the particular blend of nutrients and vitamins in traditional chicken soup can slow the activity of certain white blood cells. This may have an anti-inflamamatory effect that could hypothetically lead to temporary ease from symptoms of illness. Their research was published in 2000 in the scientific journal Chest (volume 118, pages 1150-1157: "Chicken Soup Inhibits Neutrophil Chemotaxis In Vitro"). This was not, however, a controlled test, and did not demonstrate that chicken soup was the best foodstuff for this purpose.
Whether or not this is true, chicken soup is easy to prepare, relatively cheap, nutritious, and easy on the digestive system, making it a good food for winter invalids. Probably more significantly, sipping warm soup can clear nasal passages which also relieves symptoms.
Motivational speakers Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen call their series of lectures and bestselling books Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Chicken broth
According to the 1881 Household Cyclopedia, chicken broth can be made in the following way.
Take a nice tender chicken, and after cleaning it very nicely, cut it into quarters, and put it into a soup-kettle with 3 quarts of water, 2 tablespoonful of rice, or pearlbarley, and salt to taste. Let it boil slowly, and as the scum rises remove it. When thoroughly done place the chicken on a dish, garnish with double parsley, and eat with drawn butter, and serve the broth in a deep-covered china bowl or tureen, and send to table hot.
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