Bundled up in bed, fighting a sore throat, fatigue, sneezing, and coughing, is not the way you want to spend your weekend off from work. With the flu affecting more Americans than ever before, many people are seeking ways to fight symptoms outside of the medications they’ve been prescribed. Turns out there’s some truth in many popular sayings and old wives tales, as researchers have studied broth-based soups and determined that they provide significant relief for many common cold and flu symptoms. Broth-based soups loosen congestion in the upper respiratory system and have health-boosting, anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
This cold and flu season, give your body the Rolls-Royce of treatments by consuming the wealth of vitamins and nutrients found in broth-based soups. Although there’s no miracle recipe for curing your case of the sniffles, the following soups are praised for their sickness-fighting ingredients.
Italian Wedding Soup
This tasty soup contains a lot of protein via miniature meatballs, nutrient-rich spinach and carrots, and energy-enhancing pasta (typically orzo or acini de pepe). In addition to the nutritional benefits that come from the veggies and meat, your body will also enjoy the aid of the broth’s cold-fighting ingredients.
Chicken Noodle Soup
This is a classic soup that has been delighting taste buds since its debut in 1934 by Campbell’s. Preparing a home-cooked version using fresh vegetables is the best way to get the most out of a bowl of this soup. Ingredients used in chicken noodle soup are shown to slow white blood cell collection in the lungs, which can effectively minimize the severity of symptoms like sneezing, coughing, congestion, and a runny nose. In addition, the broth is the perfect way to stay hydrated – a key player in restoring your health!
Chicken Marsala Soup
When you’re feeling under the weather, this mushroom and chicken soup is a great way to jump-start your road to recovery. This is because mushrooms are loaded with cold-fighting elements like niacin, phosphorous, antioxidants, potassium, vitamin C, and iron. Similar to the Italian wedding soup, this broth-based variety is packed with protein, which will feed your body with more energy.
Vegetable Garlic Soup
If you’re a vegetarian or simply open to exploring new soup options, look no further than vegetable garlic soup. Not only is this soup swarming with nutrient-rich ingredients, such as mushrooms, carrots, and kale, but it is also prepared with turmeric, a spice that fights inflammation and builds up the body with crucial antioxidants. As the soup’s name suggests, garlic is another main ingredient in this delicious broth-based meal. Garlic has been shown to boost immune function, a fundamental player in fighting off sickness.
Hot and Sour Soup
Feel like little green mucus monsters have invaded your body and are now an unwelcome resident in your upper respiratory system? This soup packs a spicy punch that’s perfect for loosening up congestion and getting mucus flowing. Hot and Sour soup also provides a great amount of vitamins and minerals through ingredients like green onions, tofu, chicken stock, bamboo, Chinese fungi, and ginger. Ginger is praised for its ability to combat nausea and reduce inflammation to help soothe the aches and pains that come along with contracting the flu.
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