Best Home Remedies - Chicken Soup

Here again, mothers figured this out long before doctors did. It does work. It doesn't shorten the cold or prevent the cold, but it does ease the symptoms.

How does it work? The warm steam of the soup loosens the nasal secretions and that helps drain the sinuses. The soup's heat may also ease a sore throat, and the broth prevents dehydration. Research shows that chicken soup also has a mild anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, it tastes good and delivers some nutrients.

University of Nebraska University of Nebraska pulmonologist Dr. Steven Rennard, who ran the study, said he used a recipe of his wife's grandmother. It produced a vegetable-filled chicken soup. He also found it works with or without the matzo balls but added, "It doesn't really taste right without them."