Whether you're feeling under the weather or simply craving a soothing concoction, chicken soup may be your perfect solution. Staying hydrated is a daily necessity, as water and other fluids keep all systems in your body functioning properly. But ever wonder just how nutritious this comfort food really is? Let’s take a closer look at its ingredients and explore the health benefits that make chicken soup a beloved staple in many households. Chicken broth has long been hailed as a nutrient-dense solution for a variety of purposes, from providing a flavorful base for soups and stews to serving as a comforting remedy for colds and flu. Its rich combination of vitamins, minerals, and proteins makes it a popular choice for those seeking an easy-to-digest and nourishing addition to their meals.
The Nutritional Powerhouse: Ingredients and Their Benefits
Chicken soup is not only a comforting dish but can also be a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. Knowing the nutrients behind the foods we eat is essential for ensuring our bodies are getting what we need to stay healthy. Whether you're enjoying a bowl when you're feeling under the weather or as a hearty meal, chicken soup remains a timeless remedy that can nourish both body and soul.
Broth: The Hydrating and Nutrient-Rich Base
Fluids carry nutrients and oxygen to your cells, aid digestion, prevent constipation, normalize blood pressure, regulate body temperature and maintain electrolyte (sodium) balance, to name a few. Chicken broth, a clear liquid, counts towards your hydration goals. Nutritionally, it’s rich in essential fatty acids, protein, iron, and selenium.
- Essential Fatty Acids: The body cannot make on its own essential fatty acids so they must come from the foods we eat. They are a source of energy and major components of cell membrane structure.
- Protein: Often called the body’s building blocks, protein is used to build and repair tissues and help fight infection.
- Iron: Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that supplies oxygen to muscles. Your body also needs iron to produce certain hormones.
- Selenium: This is an essential component of various enzymes and proteins that help make DNA and protect against cell damage and infections.
Chicken: A Lean Protein Source
Probably the most popular of all white meats, chicken is an excellent source of lean, low-fat protein that contributes to muscle growth and development, and bone health. Chicken can also help support a healthy body weight as well as weight loss. Chicken also provides Vitamin B-3, Vitamin B-6 and Selenium.
- Vitamin B-3: Also known as niacin, vitamin B-3 helps keep your nervous system, digestive system and skin healthy.
- Vitamin B-6: Important for normal brain development and for keeping your nervous system and immune system healthy.
- Selenium: The trace mineral that is also found in chicken broth can help reduce inflammation and helps enhance the body’s ability to fight off infection and illness.
Like turkey, chicken is also high in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps your body produce serotonin, the key hormone that stabilizes your mood, feelings of well-being and happiness.
Read also: Creamy Keto Ranch Chicken Recipe
Vegetables: Vitamins, Antioxidants, and Minerals
The best chicken soup recipes are chock-full of veggies like carrots, celery and onions - all of which are rich in vitamins C and K, not to mention other antioxidants and minerals.
- Vitamin C: Your body needs this nutrient to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in your bones. It plays a role in controlling infections and healing wounds and is a powerful antioxidant that can neutralize harmful free radicals.
- Vitamin K: Helps produce certain proteins needed for blood clotting and building bones.
- Beta-Carotene: Found in carrots, is converted by the body into vitamin A, which is necessary for healthy eyes and skin.
Noodles: Energy Source
Chicken soup wouldn’t be the same without the noodles! These hearty strands are packed with carbohydrates - an important energy source that helps fuel your brain, kidneys, heart muscles and central nervous system. Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted to energy used to support bodily functions and physical activity. Of course, carbohydrate quality is important - if you’re making chicken soup from scratch, choose whole grain noodles over white pasta.
Steam: Clearing Congestion
While obviously not an ingredient, the steam from hot chicken soup can help increase blood flow and decrease the nasal congestion often experienced from a cold or the flu. So, while it won’t cure your infection, it may help you breathe easier. Steam also has a mild anti-inflammatory effect that can help relax your muscles and soothe the coughs and discomforts associated with cold and flu symptoms.
Chicken Broth and Weight Loss: Exploring the Connection
And this is where the chicken broth diet comes into the picture - a dietary plan that puts this savory liquid at the forefront of your daily consumption.
The Chicken Broth Diet: An Overview
The Chicken Broth Diet is a dietary plan that revolves around the consumption of chicken broth as its primary source of nutrients. The main component of this diet is chicken broth, which is made by simmering chicken bones, meat, and vegetables in water for an extended period. The Chicken Broth Diet typically lasts for a short-term period, ranging from a few days to a couple of weeks. Proponents of the Chicken Broth Diet suggest consuming the broth several times a day, either as a standalone meal or as a base for soups and stews. Some variations of the Chicken Broth Diet allow for the inclusion of specific foods, such as non-starchy vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Read also: Low-carb chicken nuggets recipe.
Variations of the Chicken Broth Diet
There are several variations of the chicken broth diet.
- Water and Chicken Broth Diet: This diet primarily consists of consuming water and chicken broth as the main sources of hydration and nutrients. This variation intends to promote weight loss, detoxification, and overall health improvement through the consumption of low-calorie, nutrient-dense liquids.
- Jello and Chicken Broth Diet: This variation includes the consumption of sugar-free jello along with chicken broth.
- Cabbage Soup Diet with Chicken Broth: In this variation, chicken broth is combined with cabbage soup as the primary food source.
- Chicken Broth Clear Liquid Diet: A clear liquid diet typically consists of consuming only liquids that are easily digestible and leave little residue in the digestive system, such as water, clear broths, and fruit juices without pulp.
Can You Lose Weight By Drinking Chicken Broth?
Incorporating chicken broth into your diet might provide health benefits due to its nutrient-dense nature.
- Low in Calories: Chicken broth is relatively low in calories compared to other meal options. By replacing higher-calorie meals with chicken broth, you can create a calorie deficit, which is necessary for weight loss.
- Protein: Protein is known to increase satiety, helping you feel fuller for longer periods.
- Nutrient-Dense: Chicken broth is packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and collagen.
- Improved Digestion: Chicken broth is easy to digest and may help soothe the digestive system.
Limitations and Drawbacks of Relying Solely on Chicken Broth
While you can consume chicken broth on its own, relying solely on it for an extended period is not advisable. The Chicken Broth Diet is extremely restrictive, with limited food choices, making it difficult to meet all nutritional needs.
- Unsustainable: While the Chicken Broth Diet may result in short-term weight loss due to its very low-calorie nature, it is not a sustainable solution.
- Temporary Weight Loss: The initial weight loss experienced while consuming only chicken broth might be due to water weight loss and reduced muscle mass, rather than actual fat loss.
Is Chicken Broth Diet Healthy?
- Rich in Nutrients: Chicken broth is packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and collagen.
- Improved Digestion: Chicken broth is easy on the digestive system due to its liquid form and easily digestible nutrients.
- Reduced Inflammation
- Hydration
- Weight Loss: Due to its low-calorie content, consuming chicken broth as the primary food source can create a calorie deficit, leading to weight loss.
Can I Just Eat Chicken Broth?
- Lack of Variety
- Unsustainable Weight Loss
- Risk of Muscle Loss
- Potential Electrolyte Imbalances
What’s the Best Chicken Broth for a Liquid Diet?
- Homemade: Making your own chicken broth from scratch allows you to control the ingredients and ensure their quality.
- Low-Sodium: Excess sodium can lead to health issues, such as fluid retention and high blood pressure.
- No Artificial Additives or Preservatives: High-quality chicken broth can be free from artificial additives, preservatives, and flavor enhancers, such as MSG.
Bone Broth: An Enhanced Version
Bone broth is liquid made from boiling animal bones and connective tissue. Bone broth combines the best of both worlds: bones, meat, and sometimes skin or other tissue go into the recipe. In addition to these base ingredients, stocks and broths may contain aromatic vegetables, and broths are usually seasoned with salt (and sometimes pepper) as well.
Health Benefits of Bone Broth
- Better Hydration: The high water content in bone broth helps you stay hydrated.
- Collagen Boost: Bone broth is naturally high in collagen.
- Reduced Inflammation: Some studies suggest that bone broth can help reduce inflammation.
- Bone Broth for Weight Loss: Bone broth can be a part of a healthy weight loss regime. It is loaded with protein that can help you feel full for longer. This extra protein can also assist in building lean muscle mass, which in turn enables your body to burn more calories throughout the day.
Potential Risks of Bone Broth
While bone broth is generally considered safe to consume, there are some potential risks to be aware of.
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- Lead Contamination: Some studies show elevated levels of lead in bone broths, which can be harmful to health if consumed in large amounts.
- Bacterial Contamination: Improper preparation and storage of bone broth can lead to bacterial growth, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.
- Allergic Reactions: Bone broth may contain allergens such as dairy or shellfish, so it is important to check the ingredients before consuming.
- Interaction with Medications: Bone broth contains amino acids and minerals that can interact with certain medications, such as blood thinners.
It is important to follow proper food safety guidelines when preparing and storing bone broth to minimize the risk of these potential issues. You should also consult a doctor before consuming bone broth, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or take medications.
The Bone Broth Diet: A Detailed Look
The Bone Broth Diet claims to come with a slew of health benefits, but that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.
The Bone Broth Diet, Explained
The arguably most popular is a 21-day, low-carb diet plan created by naturopathic doctor Kellyann Petrucci. This particular version of the bone broth diet focuses on three main elements: intermittent fasting, bone broth, and anti-inflammatory foods. From there, the diet is broken into two parts: fasting days and non-fasting days. On two non-consecutive days a week, followers are intended to do a modified fast, drinking five to six 8-ounce servings of bone broth throughout the day. The other five days are based on an anti-inflammatory paleo diet (ideally within an 8-hour eating window), consisting of protein, non-starchy veggies, and healthy fats.
Foods To Eat On The Bone Broth Diet
On fasting days, you’re recommended to drink six 8-ounce servings of bone broth as well as water, herbal tea, and coffee. On non-fasting days, you follow a minimally processed, anti-inflammatory diet consisting of three meals a day and one to three cups of bone broth. More specifically, the bone broth diet encourages high-quality animal proteins (like chicken, beef, and fish), non-starchy vegetables (like broccoli, asparagus, spinach, and mushrooms), and healthy fats (like avocado, nuts, flaxseed, and olives). Smaller amounts of starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, green peas, winter squash, and carrots are also permitted. Milk alternatives, fruit, and natural sugar substitutes such as agave, date sugar, and honey are also allowed in moderation.
Foods To Avoid On The Bone Broth Diet
On non-fasting days, followers should avoid grains, bread, legumes, peanuts, dairy, refined sugars, sugary beverages, refined vegetable oils, commercial sauces and condiments, alcohol, and all processed foods. On the two fasting days, all food is off limits, and you can only consume bone broth, water, herbal tea, and coffee.
Does the bone broth diet work for weight loss?
Yes and no. There’s no scientific research on actual weight loss results while on the bone broth diet, but calorie restriction is a big reason why you might lose weight. Bone broth is low in calories ranging between 40 to 50 calories per eight ounces and provides about one serving of protein per cup (8 to 10 grams). High protein foods and non-starchy vegetables are also known to reduce overeating and limit the desire to snack between meals which may support weight loss. That said, any weight loss may be short-term, and rebound weight gain is likely.
Risks Of The Bone Broth Diet
The bone broth diet is restrictive, so there are inherently some risks. During those two days of bone broth fasts, you’re only consuming about 600 calories which is significantly below the recommendation for any living human. The diet is also low in carbohydrates which are crucial for energy and overall health. That also means it’s likely low in fiber which can wreak havoc on your gut causing constipation, bloating, gas, and hemorrhoids. Not to mention, any diet that severely restricts calories or entire food groups increases the risk of nutritional deficiencies. For example, completely eliminating dairy can put you at risk of a calcium deficiency. On the flip side, consuming too much of a nutrient can also pose risks. For example, bone broth can be high in sodium and potassium which may be dangerous for those with kidney disease, liver disease, or high blood pressure.
Who should try (or avoid) the bone broth diet?
Since intermittent fasting is a factor, the diet is not recommended for anyone who is pregnant or nursing, immunocompromised, or diabetic. Those with a history of disordered eating should also steer clear. Any diet that eliminates food groups or categorizes foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad'-or in this case, ‘yes’ or ‘no’-is likely to foster an unhealthy relationship with food because eating a ‘disallowed’ food can result in feelings of guilt and shame. Such feelings can then lead to further restriction and/or binging. Finally, the bone broth diet is not ideal for athletes or anyone with a moderate- to high-intensity workout schedule-even if your goal is weight loss. Why? Your body needs carbohydrates to refuel post-workout, and the low-carb nature of the diet can lead to poor performance, fatigue, and an increased risk of injury.