When it comes to nourishing the body, many people think of chicken soup. However, many believe the chicken itself has no nutritional value after being stewed, so they only drink the soup. In fact, this practice is incorrect. To truly replenish your nutrition, you need to eat both the chicken and the soup. Furthermore, while chicken soup is nutritious, it's not suitable for everyone. Let me break down the nutritional comparison between chicken and chicken soup for you, and tell you which groups of people should absolutely avoid drinking it.
Chicken: Eat the Meat or the Soup? Which is More Nutritious?
Nutritional Components of Chicken
Actually, chicken mainly provides the body with protein, followed by fat, vitamins, and minerals. Chicken doesn't contain much fat; compared to other meats, its fat content is relatively low. Although chicken contains vitamins and minerals, the amounts are minimal compared to vegetables, fruits, and animal organs, so we don't rely on chicken to provide these nutrients. The protein in chicken is different. When we consume chicken, the primary nutrient we're getting is its protein.
During the process of making chicken soup, fat easily dissolves into the broth.
Fat-soluble vitamins and calcium from the bones easily dissolve into the fat under the temperature and water conditions, and then dissolve into the soup along with the fat. Water-soluble components also naturally enter the broth easily. Many of the components that dissolve into the soup belong to the category of flavor substances. This is why the soup is so savory, aromatic, and delicious.
Just because chicken soup is delicious doesn't mean it's the most nutritious.
Because during the stewing process, only a small portion of the protein from the chicken dissolves into the soup. Even after a long simmer, only about 10% of the total protein makes it into the broth. This means that about 90% of the protein remains in the chicken.
Some people might ask, why do people who are weak feel better after drinking chicken soup? From the perspective of Western nutrition, this is related to the nutrients in the chicken soup. These are nutrients the body needs that have already dissolved into the soup and can be directly absorbed after entering the body, significantly reducing the digestive burden on the gastrointestinal tract. If one were to eat steamed or stir-fried chicken, considering the amount consumed and the digestive system's capacity, the same effect might not be achieved.
We should not only drink the chicken soup but also eat the chicken.
Then, someone might ask, "The chicken soup I made is delicious, but the chicken itself is very dry. What should I do?" Actually, the chicken becoming dry is related to when the salt is added during the stewing process. Adding salt increases the concentration of the soup, which can be seen as an increase in osmotic pressure. This causes the chicken to dehydrate, making it taste very dry and lacking a "tender" texture! Therefore, it is recommended to add salt before the soup comes to a boil, which can reduce the amount of water lost from the chicken.
Five Groups of People Should Not Drink Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is nutritious and delicious, and many people regard it as a great nourishing food. It's also often prepared as a tonic for sick family members. However, not everyone is suitable for drinking chicken soup. Chicken soup is considered "warm" in nature and is rich in oil, calories, and fat. Director Li Qian reminds us that the following five groups of people are not suitable for drinking chicken soup.
Patients with chronic superficial gastritis:
Because these patients already have excess stomach acid and poor digestive function, drinking more chicken soup will promote gastric acid secretion, which not only hinders digestion but also increases the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, leading to indigestion. Frequent sufferers of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis:
Patients with cholecystitis:
Because the digestion of fat in chicken soup requires the participation of bile, drinking it will stimulate the gallbladder to contract, easily triggering an attack of cholecystitis. Patients with hyperlipidemia and fatty liver:
After the fat in the chicken soup is absorbed, it will further increase blood lipids and blood cholesterol, causing fat to accumulate in the liver and deposit on the inner walls of blood vessels, leading to conditions such as coronary atherosclerosis. Patients with hyperuricemia:
Should not drink chicken soup because it is rich in purines and fat, which can trigger a gout attack. Patients with impaired kidney function:
Chicken soup contains certain small-molecule proteins. Patients with acute nephritis, acute or chronic renal failure, or uremia cannot process the byproducts of protein metabolism in a timely manner. Drinking too much chicken soup can trigger high nitrogen bloodemia and worsen the progression of the disease.