Does soup foam have any health benefits?

There are several myths surrounding the topic of soup. One of them is directly related to the foam: supposedly it contains harmful substances, including antibiotics, so it is necessary to remove the foam during cooking. Is this really so, what is in the broth foam?

First of all, the foam contains coagulated proteins (albumins, myoglobin) that are released from beef or poultry meat when heated. In addition, fat particles and some impurities (for example, blood residues) are also found in the foam, which give it a gray or brownish color.

Can antibiotics be present in meat and poultry products?

Manufacturers must comply with the conditions under which the product does not contain antibiotics or their residues are at a safe level and do not affect human health. Otherwise, the product will not pass veterinary control. That is, chicken purchased from a store may contain antibiotic residues, but their amount is so small that it does not pose a significant risk to human health when consumed.

However, if meat is regularly purchased from producers who do not comply with the standards and are not subject to control, for example, from private individuals, there is a problem with the possibility of developing antibiotic resistance.

“Heat treatment, including boiling, can reduce the amount of some antibiotics and their metabolites in meat. You can also remove the skin when cooking chicken, but if you eat a balanced diet and do not eat only poultry, then there is no need to do this. The foam itself does not contain antibiotics, so I do not think it is necessary to remove it,” said the nutritionist.

So far, there is no scientific evidence that the foam contains harmful substances and that it should be removed for safety reasons.

When should you remove the foam from soup?

It is recommended to do this for aesthetic reasons - if you need to make a clear soup. Because coagulated proteins really make the soup cloudy.

This is done by chefs in French and other European cuisines, where this process is even called ecumer. In some Asian culinary traditions, such as Chinese or Vietnamese, the meat is boiled and washed before being added to the soup to remove any impurities.

So, if you want a clear, clean soup, it's best to remove the foam. If the appearance is not important to you, you can leave the foam: it's not harmful, and it can even make the dish taste better due to the dissolved proteins.

Is foam good for your health?

There is another myth that contradicts this: the foam on the surface of the soup is a wonderful treat and it's foolish to give it up. In fact, it contains very few nutrients, because the main nutritional elements (amino acids, collagen, minerals) remain in the soup and meat itself. Follow “Zamin” news on “Telegram”