College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC RECIPES

Grandma's Chicken Soup


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"I was looking for an easy recipe tonight to use up my chicken, and yours fit the bill perfectly. The soup was..."
- Anne Beaverton, OR

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How to Make Grandma's Chicken Soup

INGREDIENTS


SKILL LEVEL: EASY
1/2 c
1/2 c
8 c
4 whole
1 c
1 tsp
1/2 tsp
1/4 lbs

PREPARATION OF THIS HEALTHY RECIPE

This recipe couldn't be more simple! Carrots, celery, onion, salt, and black pepper form the base stock for many vegetable soups in the west.

1. Slice the carrots, celery and onion.

2. Add together with remaining ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for one hour. Serve hot!

Optional Additions for Added Healing: For a more Indian flavor add a spice paste of ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and fennel sauteed with a bit of ghee. These spices (especially ginger) will help you fight the cold even faster.

How Does This Ayurvedic Recipe Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Salty, nurturing, warm broth soothes your belly on the worst of days. Grandma still knows best- Chicken Soup is her mysterious cure-all and its reputation persists today. The next time you're feeling under the weather, make a big pot of Grandma's Chicken Soup, and feel the healing qualities soothe your achy body.

Common Cold Cure

Grandma's Chicken Soup doesn't have any high tech chemicals, compounds, or derivatives that prevent the common cold. So how does it work? The answer is that chicken soup pulls less blood to the GI tract while providing balanced nutrition. The more blood that stays in circulation, the more blood is available to fight disease. A whopping 60% of metabolism gets consumed by digestion. Releasing the power of that 60% is the key to Grandma's magic and boosting immunity.

Carrots and rice digest in a snap. Black pepper stimulates circulation. Circulation is great for immunity because it stimulates a light sweat, thereby releasing the toxins that are giving you the blues. Nutrition in the form of broth is easy to assimilate and keeps the body hydrated.

Why Chicken?

Between nations or organisms, war is costly. Sustained periods of fighting bacterial invasion eventually depletes your strength. Meat closely resembles our bodily tissues and is the best way to replace depleted fuel and vitality-giving ojas. Chicken is preferred for those recovering from illness because it is easier to digest than heavy red meat. Additionally, the nourishing fats of dark chicken keep your digestive tract lubricated and flowing freely, aiding your body's ability to eliminate toxins that may have been (or may in the future!) make you sick.

The Vegetarian Choice

Vegetarians are recommended to use kitchari with root vegetables instead. Kitchari is Ayurveda's vegetarian version of chicken soup that has been used for thousands of years. Make your kitchari with extra broth when you're sick to receive many of the same benefits of chicken soup.

Prevention is Better than the Cure

Some of the best medicine for full-blown illness works wonders as preventative medicine. Why get sick if you don't have to? If you feel even a touch under the weather, gently nurturing yourself with this soup can save you from heading all the way down the pipeline to a common cold or winter flu. It's not easy to cook for yourself when you don't feel good, so keep chicken broth in the freezer. It's a great way to jump-start feeling great again. So get in the kitchen and prepare for winter!

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

Is Grandma's Chicken Soup Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Grandma's Chicken Soup' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

Metabolic Nature of Grandma's Chicken Soup

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

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EASY

ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY

CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

LIQUEFIED

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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PUNGENT

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

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PACIFIES
Vata pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Kapha aggravating Pitta aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

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PACIFIES
MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

AGGRAVATES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

Other

Aromatic

AROMATIC

Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.

SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Crunchy

CRUNCHY

Makes an audible noise when you eat them. Can provide fun texture variation.

SEE ALL 'CRUNCHY' FOODS / HERBS

, Bland Negative Calorie
Downward

DOWNWARD

Downward-moving (Adho Gati Marga) substances move food downward in the GI tract, settle the nervous system, and relax muscles.

SEE ALL 'DOWNWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Grandma's Chicken Soup
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Quenches Thirst

QUENCHES-THIRST

An herb or substance that relieves thirst.

SEE ALL 'QUENCHES-THIRST' FOODS / HERBS

,
Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Relieves Burning

RELIEVES-BURNING

Herbs that soothe a burn or reduce an internal burning sensation, such as aloe vera.

SEE ALL 'RELIEVES-BURNING' FOODS / HERBS

Burns Toxins

BURNS-TOXINS

An herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them.

SEE ALL 'BURNS-TOXINS' FOODS / HERBS

Strengthens Resolve

STRENGTHENS-RESOLVE

Increases determination and courage by reducing stress and building strength.

SEE ALL 'STRENGTHENS-RESOLVE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Makes You Tired

MAKES-YOU-TIRED

Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep.

SEE ALL 'MAKES-YOU-TIRED' FOODS / HERBS

Satisfies Stomach

SATISFIES-STOMACH

Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.

SEE ALL 'SATISFIES-STOMACH' FOODS / HERBS

,
Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

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Diaphoretic

DIAPHORETIC

An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin.

SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Flushes Sinuses

FLUSHES-SINUSES

An herb that relieves sinus congestion by flushing out mucus.

SEE ALL 'FLUSHES-SINUSES' FOODS / HERBS

,
Soothes Throat

SOOTHES-THROAT

Soothes throat discomfort, including from a sore or ticklish throat.

SEE ALL 'SOOTHES-THROAT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Decongestant

DECONGESTANT

An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes.

SEE ALL 'DECONGESTANT' FOODS / HERBS

Cardiac Stimulant

CARDIAC-STIMULANT

Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.

SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Vasodilator

VASODILATOR

A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area.

SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

,
Blood Tonic

BLOOD-TONIC

An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency.

SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Diuretic

DIURETIC

Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Cholagogue

CHOLAGOGUE

Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.

SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:
Nitric Oxide

NITRIC-OXIDE

Improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. Protects blood vessels from damage. Improves athletic performance, libido, immunity, and brain health.

SEE ALL 'NITRIC-OXIDE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Coumarin

COUMARIN

Moderately toxic, vascular tonic, hypotensive, and anti-inflammatory.

SEE ALL 'COUMARIN' FOODS / HERBS

, Carbohydrate, Vitamin K,
Saponins

SAPONINS

Can be used to make soap. Saponins stimulate mucus membrane secretion, liquefying mucus for easy removal (expectorant).

SEE ALL 'SAPONINS' FOODS / HERBS

, Sodium, Soluble Fiber,
Aromatase Inhibitor

AROMATASE-INHIBITOR

Blocks estrogen synthesis by inhibiting conversion of progesterone and testosterone into estrogen.

SEE ALL 'AROMATASE-INHIBITOR' FOODS / HERBS

, Sulfated Polysaccharides, Sulphur, Vitamin A, Potassium, Polysaccharides, Folate, Insoluble Fiber, Beta Carotene

Foods with a Similar Nature to Grandma's Chicken Soup

  • Mustard Powder

    Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common

    Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Strengthens-resolve, Decongestant, Diuretic, Vasodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard

    Mustard has these Actions in Common

    Decongestant, Diuretic, Vasodilator, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Strengthens-resolve

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard Seed

    Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common

    Decongestant, Diuretic, Vasodilator, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Strengthens-resolve

    LEARN MORE

  • Black Pepper

    Black Pepper has these Actions in Common

    Blood-tonic, Decongestant, Flushes-sinuses, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Vasodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive

    LEARN MORE

  • Cayenne Pepper

    Cayenne Pepper has these Actions in Common

    Decongestant, Flushes-sinuses, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Vasodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive

    LEARN MORE

  • Daikon Radish

    Daikon Radish has these Actions in Common

    Cholagogue, Digestive, Decongestant, Diuretic, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses

    LEARN MORE

  • Wasabi

    Wasabi has these Actions in Common

    Digestive, Vasodilator, Cholagogue, Diuretic, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Cardiac-stimulant

    LEARN MORE

  • Horseradish

    Horseradish has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Vasodilator, Cholagogue, Diuretic, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses

    LEARN MORE

  • Basil

    Basil has these Actions in Common

    Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Vasodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Decongestant, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Cinnamon

    Cinnamon has these Actions in Common

    Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Soothes-throat, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Decongestant, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Garlic (raw)

    Garlic (raw) has these Actions in Common

    Flushes-sinuses, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Vasodilator, Cholagogue, Diuretic, Decongestant

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Grandma's Chicken Soup

  • Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

    Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

    Burns-toxins, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Vasodilator, Blood-tonic

    LEARN MORE

  • Trikatu

    Trikatu has these Actions in Common

    Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Vasodilator, Burns-toxins, Cardiac-stimulant

    LEARN MORE

  • Pennyroyal

    Pennyroyal has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Cholagogue, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Diuretic, Vasodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Punarnava

    Punarnava has these Actions in Common

    Vasodilator, Blood-tonic, Cardiac-stimulant, Cholagogue, Digestive, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard Poultice

    Mustard Poultice has these Actions in Common

    Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Pippali

    Pippali has these Actions in Common

    Blood-tonic, Burns-toxins, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Vasodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Osha

    Osha has these Actions in Common

    Digestive, Burns-toxins, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Mahasudarshan

    Mahasudarshan has these Actions in Common

    Burns-toxins, Cholagogue, Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Diuretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Hot Shower

    Hot Shower has these Actions in Common

    Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Inhale Steam

    Inhale Steam has these Actions in Common

    Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Soothes-throat, Vasodilator

    LEARN MORE

  • Hot Bath

    Hot Bath has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

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This recipe is recommended for Spring. Check out these other Spring recipes here.
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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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Comments & Impressions of 'Grandma's Chicken Soup'

Do you like 'grandma's chicken soup'? Why or why not? What makes it unique? Is there something else you'd like to know about 'grandma's chicken soup'?

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 6 ratings, 1327 likes
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Mike Pittsburgh, PA
2011-12-17
“What chicken parts are recommended? Bone in or bone out? "
“I always cook with the bone for the added mineral content. A tbsp of vinegar will draw even more minerals out of the bones. Kapha and Kapha/Pitta should use the breast. Vata and Vata/Pitta may use the dark meat. Thanks for asking!"
Anne Beaverton, OR
2013-05-07
“I was looking for an easy recipe tonight to use up my chicken, and yours fit the bill perfectly. The soup was delicious, too. This will become a regular staple at our house. Thank you!"
Lisa Westerfield Robbinsville, NJ
2014-10-12
“To get some oiliness from chicken fat, I presume that you use chicken with skin and then skim off the excess fat. Is that the case?"
Faith Oakland, CA
2014-10-20
“I like to add 1/2 tsp. dried Thyme, a Bay Leaf, and 5 or 6 whole garlic cloves, that I've just chopped in half, without peeling. I've tried the ACV but I don't care for it. If you cook this in a slow cooker, on Low, you can fix it and forget it, and it will be ready for you at day end for a meal. And if you get distracted with other things, and leave it on a bit long; well then those bones are going to get nice and soft on their own."
Fiona Pereira Mississauga, ON
2017-01-11
“Some of the ingredients are not suitable for kappa. How do I substitute that will still make it beneficial to fight off the cold or flu"
Kimberly Kubicke Asbury park, NJ
2017-01-12
“To make the soup more suitable for Kapha, leave out the rice and carrot and instead add collard greens or kale."
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