Ahhh, chicken soup. Who can forget that nurturing warmth, that savory taste, that welcoming aroma? When was the last time you had chicken soup and thought, like us, that it’s more than just a source of protein?
What’s that? Have you never thought of it being more than just a source of protein? Is it just us? Oh, right, well, no matter. We’ll still talk about why chicken soup goes beyond just being a mere source of protein during postpartum today. So, sit back, and put on some comfy gear while we delve right into what more the humble yet widely adored chicky soup has up its sleeves…yes, we know we just said chicky. It’s not a typo. It’s us being cheeky…the pun was unintentional.
Nevertheless, today’s article is brought to you by our friends over at Tian Wei Signature. Here’s a bit of background about them – Tian Wei Signature is a confinement food caterer and provider who specializes in providing nutritious and well-balanced confinement meals to mothers who have just given birth.
Table of Contents
Setting The Scene!
Why is chicken soup so delicious? Is it the tender chunks of chicken, the savory broth, or the hearty vegetables? Whatever the reason, chicken soup has been a comfort food for centuries. In fact, we’re sure you’ve heard a saying – “chicken soup for the soul.”? But why is that?
Maybe it’s because chicken soup is so easy to make. Just add some chicken, vegetables, and water to a pot and let it simmer. Or maybe it’s because chicken soup is so versatile. There are endless ways to make it, whether you prefer your soup with noodles or rice, spicy or mild.
Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that chicken soup is one of the most comforting and delicious dishes around. So next time you’re feeling under the weather, remember that chicken soup may just be the cure.
Speaking of cures, that leads us to our first point for why chicken soup is just so awesome!
Anti-Inflammation
In traditional Chinese food culture, chicken soup is used to prevent colds, relieve inflammation, and improve immunity.
In the study titled “Immunomodulatory effects of chicken soups prepared with the native cage-free chickens and the commercial caged broilers,” different chicken soup variations alleviate immune suppression differently by different mechanisms due to the differences in content and peptides of the different chicken/chicken soups.
It is believed that different essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids in chicken soups might be the key players in these immune-enhancing effects.
Replenishing Electrolytes & Fluids Lost From Childbirth
Chicken broth is rich in Amino acids like arginine, glycine, glutamate, and proline, to name a few. Of those mentioned, chicken broth has the richest concentration of proline when compared to beef or pork broth. Fun fact, Proline is a major component of collagen!
From a certain study on amino acid content in broths conducted by the esteemed, we have found that “Hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline and glycine are key components in collagen and are known to interact with other collagen amino acids to form the collagen tripeptide molecule. Proline is beneficial for skin health through increased collagen production, thus making it crucial for wound healing.”
But What Does Traditional Chinese Medicine Say?
Oh, yes, Traditional Chinese Medicine also plays a role to some extent in deciding what ingredients go into these chicken soups.
Did you know that these soups provide warming elements for mummies? Take the humble Black Chicken Soup. This hearty little number contains 何首乌 He Shou Wu, otherwise known as Polygonum Multiflorum, and is slightly warming in its properties. It helps to tonify the liver and kidney, nourishes the blood, and expels wind.
Next up, we have Poria and Angelica Stewed Chicken Soup. This lengthy named soup contains 当归 Dang Gui, which is also warming. It tonifies the blood and helps to regulate menses. There’s also its namesake, which is 茯苓 Fu ling, or Poria, that promotes urination to reduce edema due to fluid stagnation.
Then there’s the Nourishing and Beautifying Chicken Soup. This aptly named soup contains 川芎 Chuan Xiong and is also warming. It replenishes the blood and promotes the movement of qi so as to reduce blood stagnation and aids in excreting lochia. 白木耳 Bai Mu Er, also contained in the soup tonifies Yin, nourishes the stomach, and generates fluids to relieve thirst, dry mouth, dry skin as well as constipation.
Closing Words
Now, if any of that sounded good to you, remember you can find these on Tian Wei Signature’s menu. Whether it be the Black Chicken Soup, Poria and Angelica Stewed Chicken Soup, or the Nourishing and Beautifying Chicken Soup, they have it all and MORE!
Remember, folks, they are specialists in confinement meals, and their meals are prepared with the guidance of a professional and highly trained dietitian with the skillful hands of an award-winning chef.
While their meals do feature a lot of Traditional Chinese confinement dishes, they also have fusion meals that will ensure mummies are pleasantly surprised with their daily confinement meals. If that’s not good enough, Tian Wei Signature will also deliver those delicious meals right to their customers’ doorsteps so that you can enjoy them in the comfort of your own homes (no need to Google “soup delivery Singapore” anymore)!
So, now that you know how black chicken soup benefits you, no more dallying, go get your own herbal soup in Singapore!
