手机版
what is about chicken soup that helps us get over a cold or a flu in record time?
Is it simply the warmth of the chicken broth running down a parched and scratchy throat?
Or is it the small chunks of meat and slippery noodles that nourishes the ailing soul?
Surprisingly, there is actually a science behind what makes chicken soup so good for any soul suffering from a cold and flu.
In the book, Food - Your Miracle Medicine, the now retired lung specialist Dr. Irwin Ziment, explained how this comfort food works: "Chicken, like most protein foods, contains a natural amino acid called cysteine, which is released when you make the soup. Cysteine bears a remarkable chemical similarity to a drug called acetylcysteine, which doctors prescribe for their patients with bronchitis and respiratory infections."
This drug is originally derived from the feathers and skin of chickens and is a mucolytic - meaning it thins down and promotes the flow of mucus from the nose, throat, and lungs.
Simply put, chicken soup acts in much the same way.
Dr. Ziment even suggested a better way to make the soup much more effective at fighting congestion. He suggested adding onions, garlic, and hot spices like chili peppers to 'kick it up a notch.'
So this cold and flu season, get yourself - or better yet - get someone to make you some good old fashioned chicken soup, wrap yourself up in a cozy blanket, and get well soon!
参考译文：
鸡汤为什么能治感冒呢？
是暖暖的鸡汤滋润了干渴沙哑的喉咙？
还是美味的鸡肉抚慰了伤痛脆弱的心灵？
事实是：鸡汤抗感冒的奇效有明确的科学道理。
鸡肉和其他肉类一样，含有一种天然氨基酸 - 半胱氨酸。而且鸡肉中这种氨基酸的含量很高，熬汤时就从鸡肉中释放到鸡汤里。半胱氨酸和一种叫做乙酰半胱氨酸的药物化学结构及其接近。而乙酰半胱氨酸是一种粘液溶解药，常用于支气管炎和呼吸道感染的病人，能够降低呼吸道分泌物的粘稠度，促进呼吸道粘液排出。
有趣的是：乙酰半胱氨酸这种药物最初是从鸡毛和鸡皮中提取出来的。那么鸡汤为什么能让你呼吸更通畅的原因就不言而喻了。
煲汤时加点葱、蒜、辣椒，抗感冒的效果更好，因为这些香料里面也有抗感冒的成分。
乍暖还寒时候，最难将息。煲一锅浓浓的鸡汤，让感冒快点好起来。也许，爱人煲的汤疗效会更好呢。
