Mummies what is your favourite home remedy when it comes to treating colds and coughs in little children? This Singapore mum relies on black chicken essence to soothe her baby’s cold!
Here’s what she has to say!
Singapore Mum’s Black Chicken Essence Recipe for Treating Baby’s Cold
Mummy Cynthia Lim recently shared the recipe on Facebook. “Adriel has a cold so hopefully this would help! Adriel slurped up most of it!” she writes.
Here is her black chicken essence recipe:
1. Wash and chop up chicken (I usually don’t wash chicken but I wanted this to be real clean. I was sure to wash up my basin to prevent cross contamination).
2. Smash chicken (I used the blunt end of my knife).
Photo: Facebook/Cynthia Lim
3. Place chicken onto bowl with smaller bowl inverted on it. (Place a lid on the bowl if you have one.)
4. Place set up into pot with a steamer rack in it.
5. Fill the pot with sufficient water to cover half the set up.
6. Bring to a boil. Boil for 10 mins on high before reducing to a simmer.
7. On a low simmer, boil for 3 hours, adding water to the pot if needed.
Photo: Facebook/Cynthia Lim
8. After removing from heat, set aside for 10 mins for pot to cool down a little. Remove chicken and carefully invert bowl to reveal chicken essence.
9. Sieve out impurities.
10. Enjoy!
Mummies, do try Cynthia’s recipe and let us know if it worked for you!
Please do remember however, that every child is different. If you have any concerns, do consult your paediatrician before trying out home remedies.
Black Chicken Soup Benefits
Did you know that black chicken is considered as a super food by the Chinese and the Vietnamese? This chicken sports an abundance of snow-white feathers on top that feel as smooth as silk (Hence, it’s also known as Silkie chicken). Underneath is black-coloured skin, black meat and black bones.
Photo: Facebook/Singapore Food Listing
Studies have shown that black chicken is rich in the antioxidant, carnosine. The bird’s remarkable medical abilities may be linked to these high levels of carnosine.
Researchers from Nanchang University in China conducted a study comparing carnosine levels between black chicken and White Plymouth Rock chickens (“common chickens”). They found that black chicken had twice as much carnosine than the common variety of chickens.
“We are sure that Black-Bone Silky Fowl is one of the richest sources of carnosine, and it’s easy to get,” says researcher Ying-gang Tian of the Key Laboratory of Food Science of the Ministry of Education at Nanchang University in Nanchang.
According to Tian, black chicken is beneficial in treating diabetes, anaemia, menstrual cramps and postpartum disorders. It is also good for overall immunity and muscle strength.
“As a kind of folk invigorant and a source of traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to reinforce body immunity and protect from emaciation and feebleness,” he adds.
Additional source: Science Daily