A physician specializing in nutrition and preventive medicine decided to better understand food’s healing properties beyond simple caloric intake. With autumn’s chill setting in and the peak of respiratory illness season approaching, Dr. Patricia Varacallo decided to put soup to the test by incorporating it into her daily diet for a whole week. She wrote that she wanted to experience firsthand what regular consumption would do for her overall wellbeing, and what began as professional curiosity quickly turned into a thorough look at soup’s incredible impact on both body and mind. And somewhere off in the distance, grandmothers everywhere are nodding smugly.
Soup’s Healing Powers
Before starting, Dr. Varacallo reviewed scientific literature published by pulmonologist Dr. Stephen Rennard. His team had analyzed how traditional chicken soup affected neutrophil migration, which is a key part of the body’s inflammatory immune response. Chicken soup, apparently, had mild anti-inflammatory properties that could potentially ease respiratory issues. This research gave compelling, scientific evidence supporting what generations of people have been claiming every flu season: soup is good for the soul (and apparently also the lungs).
For her experiment, Dr. Varacallo prepared a variation of her mother’s chicken soup: heavy on the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and fresh herbs. The broth was nutrient-dense and full of essential vitamins and minerals, and the lean protein from chicken breast, fiber from vegetables, and hydration from the broth made for a nutritional trifecta that few dishes can provide. The most interesting part was testing the soup’s effects during the busy winter season while trying to maintain energy levels and a strong immunity for someone in the healthcare sector.
