Going as far back as the 12th century, Jewish scholars have touted the effectiveness of chicken soup for a variety of ailments, including the common cold. Even today, when you’re in bed with a bad cold, someone has either reminded you of its goodness or brought you a piping hot bowl. Are the wonders of chicken soup just cultural myths passed down from generation to generation, or can it really help cure a cold?
Chicken soup is made from a stock or broth, and a variety of vegetables. To make stocks or broths, chicken bones are cooked for several hours. This gives enough time for minerals like zinc, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium to seep into the liquid. Since both stocks and broths are also made from a variety of vegetables, like celery, onion, carrots, leeks, parsnips or turnips, all the minerals from those vegetables seep into the liquid, too.
There are numerous theories on how chicken soup helps ward off the sniffles. One study published in the late 1970s found that sipping on hot chicken soup helped clear stuffy noses, but the study found it was effective only for a few minutes and that it wasn’t any more effective than sipping on hot water.
A few scientific studies showed that zinc can help shorten the duration of a cold. However, you would need to start taking more zinc within 24 hours of the first symptoms. Many of these studies were conducted with lozenges or zinc supplements, so it’s difficult to say whether chicken soup has enough zinc to be effective.
Other theories claim that chicken soup helps keep you hydrated and soothes a sore throat. Better yet – a study from the University of Nebraska found that chicken soup may contain anti-inflammatory substances that could help alleviate a cold.
According to the fifth edition of Integrative Medicine published in 2022, eating chicken soup won’t cure the actual cold, but can help provide relief from symptoms for a short period of time. The steam from the soup may help temporarily relieve congested noses and throats, while the fluid may help thin mucus and prevent dehydration.
The National Foundation for Cancer Research explains that certain components within the ingredients of chicken soup can be a healthy choice for someone with a respiratory infection (like the common cold). For example, allicin, the active component in garlic helps reduce inflammatory reactions, while carrots, celery and onion contain several antioxidants and minerals that help maintain an overall healthy condition to aid in a quicker recovery. Plus, the protein in the soup provides the building blocks for producing antibodies that your body’s immune system needs to fight respiratory infections.
And don’t discount the emotional and psychological response that people may have when having a bowl of warming chicken soup.
Bottom Line: For centuries, chicken soup has been a go-to cold fighter. Although the evidence isn’t terribly strong, numerous studies show that chicken soup may help fight a cold and the ingredients used in the soup can help temporarily alleviate some of the symptoms. While we can’t say chicken soup is definitively a cure for the cold, it’s a tried-and-true comfort dish for many. By all means, keep sipping, especially if it makes you feel better.