Chicken broth is one of the vital components in Asian cuisine. It is regularly added to many soups and stews and often served as a standalone dish too. Still it has been found that many people are largely unaware of the chicken broth health benefits and its culinary utilities. 

The health benefits of chicken broth can be maximized by cooking it at home. There are many health and monetary benefits of preparing chicken broth at home. Some of chicken broth benefits you are likely to gain are:

• Improved flavor
• Maximized health benefits
• High level of Satisfaction
• And of course a feeling of eating something better than a salty water. Here we are refering to chicken broths purchased from market. Most of them are bland and only emanate salty flavor. 

For making chicken broth one will need ingredients like carrots, scraps of chicken, chicken bones, onions, celery and other desired flavorings. These ingredients are cooked for long time to achieve the desired flavor. The broth is strained in the end to get rid of all large solid ingredients. Chicken broth can be enjoyed as a standalone dish or it can be integrated into various recipes.

Many times this warming broth just passes- off as a light comfort food, in fact the chicken broth benefits are abundant. Some of the vital chicken broth health benefits can be recounted as:

• Abundance of minerals: Chicken broth is mainly prepared by boiling bones for long time.  8 ounces of chicken broth serves about 200 mg of potassium, which equals to 10% of daily requirement of the mineral. Potassium is important for cardiovascular health and it aids in promoting functions of heart, skeletal contractions, and muscle. Chicken broth also serves other minerals such as phosphorus and calcium. Every human being needs about 700 mg of phosphorus and 1,000 mg of calcium every day. 8 oz of chicken broth serves about 70 mg of phosphorus and 10 mg of calcium. More importantly the chicken broth serves iron. Iron is a very vital element for the body becuase it transports oxygen to organs and cells.

• Easily Digestible: Chicken broth is easily digested by the body and it does not irritate the digestive tract, even if the person is suffering from any kind of irritable bowel syndrome or diarrhea. Chicken broth is infact lighter than most other broths. Chicken broth is served to people who have already undergone or are about to undergo surgery.  This because such people are always recommended to use clear liquid. Chicken broth is one of the best known clear liquids around us. This means we can clearly see through the chicken broth and it won’t leave any solid residues within our digestive tract.

   

• Promotes Eye Health: Most of the chicken stock recipes include carrot, which is an abundant source of vitamin A. Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is known to regulate health of retinas and it helps eyes to get adapted to dark environments.

• Serves Low Calories: Chicken broth is very low in calorie. About 8 oz of chicken broth serves only 40 calories, which can be extremely beneficial if someone is strictly following a diet. Chicken broth is a low-calorie food but it does not provide sufficient nutrients required for performing most of the bodily functions. So, it is highly suggested that chicken broth should only be included as a part of healthy routine.

Chicken broth health benefits can be maximized by making it a part of routine diet. To know the weight loss benefits of chicken broth, please visit: http://www.ifood.tv/blog/how-to-lose-weight-with-chicken-broth

Image courtesy: homemadesoup.org