The magic of soup

We all know that hot drinks and liquids, such as tea and soup, are great for cold and flu. Even researchers have tried to uncover the mechanisms behind the healing properties of hot drinks:

This study investigated the effects of a hot fruit drink on objective and subjective measures of nasal airflow, and on subjective scores for common cold/flu symptoms in 30 subjects suffering from common cold/flu. The results demonstrate that the hot drink … did cause a significant improvement in subjective measures of nasal airflow. The hot drink provided immediate and sustained relief from symptoms of runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chilliness and tiredness, whereas the same drink at room temperature only provided relief from symptoms of runny nose, cough and sneezing. … In conclusion, the results support the folklore that a hot tasty drink is a beneficial treatment for relief of most symptoms of common cold and flu.

Soups might be the best means to health when colds and seasonal fatigue descend on us. However, soups have healing and preventive powers beyond the times of sickness:

1. Soups help us maintain our healthy weight. How? Soups are filling due to the bulk created by the water. This low energy density generates the sense of satiety faster and we stop eating sooner. By the way, as explained in one of the episodes of the British documentary Food Unwrapped, Diet Special, one cannot substitute soup by adding a cup of water to your regular (dry) meals.

2. Soups are easier to digest. The liquid and the small bites of soft vegetables are easy on our digestive system, and the nutrients can be utilized more readily.

3. Soups are full of vegetables and fruit; therefore, eating soups increase our fiber intake.

4. Soups are made with healing herbs. In fact, soup recipes incorporate the same herbs that make the most healing teas: winter savory, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, peppermint, parsley, dill, cayenne pepper, ginger, turmeric, and more. The soup veggies and fruit are also powerful boosters of health and immunity: garlic, onion, peppers, lemons, tomatoes, cabbage, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, butternut squash, beans, zucchini, etc.
 

Chicken soup
Take some time this holiday season, and cook a chicken soup that can feed an army. You will need a whole chicken, one large onion, 4-5 medium size potatoes, 20 baby carrots, 3-4 stalks of celery, 1/2 cup rice, parsley, peppermint, winter savory, salt, and crushed red pepper.

Wash one whole chicken, remove everything from the body cavity and wash the inside. Place the chicken in a large pot and add cold water sufficient to cover the chicken. (I use my biggest pot for this recipe, the pot should have a volume of four times the chicken volume.) Bring to boil. Watch the surface carefully, because once the water starts boiling, you should remove the foam with a spoon. Once the foam is removed, add one big chopped onion, 5-10 big carrots in chinks or 20-30 whole baby carrots, and 3-4 chopped celery stalks. To cover all veggies, you will need to add more water at this time. Bring to boil. Once the soup is boiling again, add 4-5 medium size chopped potatoes and simmer the soup for 40-50 minutes, or until the chicken is ready to be de-boned. Take out the chicken from the pot (this step could be tricky, you will need a good grip of the chicken with large spoons or spatulas). I leave the chicken in a dish to cool for 5 minutes. While deboning, add half-a-cup of rice to the soup. I throw the skin and the bones, chop the meat and scoop it back into the pot. Continue boiling until the rice is ready (10-15 minutes). Before turning off the heat, add chopped parsley, 1-2 tablespoons of dried winter savory, 1-2 tablespoons of dried peppermint, red hot flakes, and salt to taste. This recipe yields approximately 20 portions, so plan to freeze and have ready-to-eat dinners on winter workdays.

Cabbage soup
I recently tried a new cabbage soup recipe, which I modified a bit. I heated two tablespoons of olive oil, softened ½ large onion, diced. To the onion, I added ½ large cabbage cut into small cubes. After 3 minutes, I added 4 cups of water (the volume depends on how thick you like your soups), ½ tsp ginger powder, a pinch of turmeric, ¼ tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp salt. After bringing back to boil, I simmered for 5 minutes. the soup tasted great with a few drops of lemon juice.

Tomato soup/tea
Finally, here is a recipe for tomato tea (or soup) that I have not tried yet. It seems that is a great remedy for cold, flu and sore throat. When I prepare this remedy myself, instead of oregano oil, I would add a bit of crushed dry oregano, thyme, winter savory, and peppermint.