Soups are linked with curative properties. There's a reason, for example, that chicken soup cooked in the Jewish tradition with matzo balls is often called "penicillin," and that chicken soup is associated with grandmothers and nourishment, warmth, and soulfulness. Our food culture has a vague but long-entrenched idea that chicken soup can offer a remedy more homestyle than the pill capsule, which is a notion that reaches into the past.
Food as Medicine
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates said, "Let your food be your medicine." We tend not to think of food as medicine, but it can be. Some cultures more prominently consider the medical and digestive properties of food when planning meals. Think of the European aperitif and digestif culture, where liqueurs prime your system for eating or help you digest after. In the Chinese tradition, many diners think about the warming and cooling influences of food, among numerous other diverse factors.
Foods are made up of many chemical compounds. Some, like dark chocolate, contain hundreds. Because of their components, many foods can predictably alter your mood, mind, and/or how your body works. Think about how you feel as you fall under the spell of the tryptophan of a turkey leg, or the calming agents in a cup of chamomile tea.
According to one classic study, chicken soup can also change bodily activity.
The Science Behind Chicken Soup's Ability to Make You Feel Better
Early this century, an American College of Chest Physicians study cooked up an impressively comprehensive batch of chicken soup for testing. The soup contained a wide range of vegetables, including sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, and celery. Organizers found that chicken soup provided a mild anti-inflammatory effect—one that could help mitigate infections in the upper-respiratory area, such as the common cold.
According to the study, undertaken by Nebraska Medical Center, chicken soup achieves these results by inhibiting something known as neutrophil chemotaxis. Basically, white blood cells behave differently after chicken soup, resulting in added anti-inflammatory activity.
This widely cited study attributed results to the soup's chicken and its vegetables. Interestingly, the study tested store-bought soups as well as homemade. It found that a few store-bought soups offered less benefit than the homemade version.
An even earlier study from the same research journal found that chicken soup, relative to water, allowed for easier movement of fluids in the nose (referred to in the study as "nasal mucus velocity"). Though these two studies aren't fully determinative, what they suggest aligns with our chicken soup folklore.
Seen from a broader angle, our bodies need nutrients to overcome sickness. Protein especially allows our systems to kick into the gear we need to get better. And chicken soup packs a wide range of nutrients, from vitamins to protein to fat if you've simmered your soup with chicken skin. Chicken soup is a handy way to obtain these nutrients during under-the-weather days you don't feel like eating, say, a stir-fry or steak.
From a still-broader angle, think of how good you feel after a bowl of chicken soup. Especially on a cold afternoon. It gives you warmth in more ways than one. There is an old magic at work, and that magic, when we look, may be the result of science. But it is likely also the result of more intangible properties: eating food cooked by caring people, eating food with other people, eating robust whole foods simply made.
As the famous study reveals, homemade soup is a great option. There are lots of kinds of chicken soup, with origins all over the world. Some even include further anti-inflammatory ingredients, like ginger. Many aren't all that hard to make.
Chicken Soup Recipes
Bottom line: next time you're feeling a sniffle or have a chicken and some vegetables, look to recipes like chicken noodle soup, ginger chicken soup, or Mexican chicken soup for some tasty healing.
FAQs
Compared with hot water alone, studies show chicken soup is more effective at loosening mucus. The herbs and spices sometimes used in chicken soup, such as pepper and garlic, also loosen mucus. The broth, which contains water and electrolytes, helps with rehydration.
Why does chicken soup make you feel better when you're sick? ›
“In particular, chicken is an excellent source of the amino acid cysteine, which has been shown to help thin mucus and help you manage cold and flu symptoms.” The broth that serves as the base of chicken soup can also provide fluids and electrolytes that help the body fight off infections, Collier noted.
Why does chicken soup make you feel good? ›
As it does with turkey, the body uses tryptophan from chicken to make melatonin—which can help you rest—and serotonin, the chemical that signals your nerves and makes you feel happy and at ease. Both of these are reasons chicken soup is associated with comfort food: you literally feel a physiological sense of comfort.
Why does soup make people feel better? ›
Consuming soup not only hydrates you, but the sodium can also help ease the pain from a sore throat. Plus, the heat of the broth will work to relieve a stuffy nose and sinus pressure.
Why did I eat some chicken soup when I was sick? ›
That formula is where the legend of chicken soup originated. “Broth-based soups have all those components, along with vitamins and minerals and electrolytes,” Tewksbury says. Hot and steamy soups can also help break down mucus in upper respiratory tract infections. “It checks a lot of boxes.”
Why does chicken make you feel better when you're sick? ›
Chicken provides the body with a complete source of protein to combat infection. Vegetables supply a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If prepared the American way, noodles provide an easily digestible source of carbohydrate that your body uses for energy and recovery.
Will chicken soup really cure your cold? ›
Eating chicken soup while you have a cold will not do you any harm, but it will not cure your cold. Drinking warm liquids, such as soup, may give you relief from your symptoms for a short time. The steam from chicken soup may open up congested noses and throats.
Why do we crave soup when we are sick? ›
It's clear that soup is so good for you because of the nutritional benefits. Research has shown that the protein in chicken and antioxidants in vegetables can help the body make virus-killing antibodies. Also, a healthy soup provides an easy way to digest the nutrients we need, especially when we're sick.
Why is soup so comforting? ›
If you're looking for a nutritious, comforting meal after a long winter day, a warm bowl of soup might be the perfect option. Since it is very easy for the body to digest, soup can help your body feel relaxed and potentially relieve digestive issues like bloating or gas.
What happens to your body when you eat soup everyday? ›
May induce weight loss: Though evidence for soup-based diets is lacking, some research has found that eating soup as part of a regular diet may have some health benefits, including weight loss. In a 2011 study, soup intake was associated with lower body mass index (BMI) and smaller waist circumference.
Is Chicken Broth Healthy? Chicken broth is packed with essential nutrients, making it a healthy addition to your diet. It is low in calories and fat, yet high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. The collagen and amino acids found in chicken broth can also promote healthy digestion, joint health, and immune function.
Is chicken soup good for skin? ›
In ancient and medieval times, it was used to treat leprosy. Anecdotally, it is claimed that chicken soup promotes healthy skin because it is rich in collagen and hyaluronic acid. One clinical study found that consumption of chicken soup by human individuals increased skin elasticity and decreased facial pigmentation.
Does chicken soup help your immune system to fight illness? ›
One notable study showed that chicken soup diminishes the presence of white blood cells associated with inflammation in upper respiratory conditions that often plague cold sufferers, suggesting that it encourages a more effective immune response and helps symptoms clear up quicker.
Why is chicken soup immune boosting? ›
Chicken Soup
The protein in chicken also helps bolster your immunities. Add plenty of extra veggies for vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all of which are an additional ally in your fight against cold and flu. Eat it: Load up on soup when you're sniffly, but avoid high-sodium canned soups—homemade is best.
Why do I feel better after eating chicken noodle soup? ›
According to the study, undertaken by Nebraska Medical Center, chicken soup achieves these results by inhibiting something known as neutrophil chemotaxis. Basically, white blood cells behave differently after chicken soup, resulting in added anti-inflammatory activity.
Why do doctors recommend eating soup when we are sick? ›
The sodium in the recipe helps relieve sore throat pain (the same principle behind gargling warm salt water), the heat helps clear nasal congestion, and can relieve pain and sinus pressure.
