Colby Teeman, Associate Professor of Dietetics and Nutrition at Dayton University
When someone is sick, it has been a common practice worldwide for centuries to reconstruct a bowl of chicken soup for their loved ones. Today, almost every generation from every culture swears by the benefits of chicken soup. While in the United States this dish is commonly made with noodles, other cultures prepare their own healing remedies in their own way.
As a remedy, chicken soup can be traced back to the 60s AD and Pedanius Dioscorides, who served under the Roman Emperor Nero and consulted with military surgeons for over a millennium. However, the origin of chicken soup dates back thousands of years to ancient China.
Therefore, it is worth asking when the cold and flu season is in full swing. Is there scientific evidence to support the belief that it helps? Or does chicken soup simply provide psychological benefits when one is sick, without any actual therapeutic benefits?
As a registered dietitian and professor of diet therapy and nutrition, I am well aware of the appeal of chicken soup: the warmth of the broth, the rich and flavorful taste of chicken, vegetables, and noodles. What gives the soup its unique taste is "umami." It is described as having a sweet, salty, sour, and bitter taste, often described as having a "meaty" flavor.
Appetite Enhancement, Better Digestion
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and amino acid glutamate is found in foods with umami taste. However, not all umami foods are meat or poultry. Cheese, mushrooms, miso, soy sauce also have it.
According to research, taste plays a significant role in the healing properties of chicken soup. When seeing many patients with respiratory illnesses suddenly eat less or not at all, it can be noted that acute illnesses can reduce appetite due to triggering an inflammatory response. If one does not feel like eating, they may not get the necessary nutrients, which is not the optimal recipe for immune health and disease recovery.
However, evidence suggests that the umami taste of chicken soup can help stimulate a greater appetite. Participants in one study reported feeling hungrier after tasting soup with added umami flavor.
According to other studies, umami can enhance nutrient digestion. When our brains detect umami through taste receptors in our dialects, our bodies prepare the digestive tract to absorb protein more easily.
This can help reduce digestive symptoms that many people experience during the weather. While most people do not associate upper respiratory infections with digestive symptoms, a study in children found that the flu virus can increase abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Can Reduce Inflammation and Runny Nose
Inflammation is a natural response of the body to injury or disease. Inflammation occurs when white blood cells move to inflammatory tissues to aid in healing. When this inflammatory process occurs in the upper respiratory tract, it can lead to cold and flu symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and thick mucus.
Conversely, when white blood cell activity decreases in the nasal passages, inflammation can decrease. Interestingly, research suggests that chicken soup can actually reduce the number of white blood cells that move to inflammatory tissues. It does this by directly inhibiting the ability of a type of white blood cell called neutrophils to move to inflamed tissues.
Key Ingredients
To truly understand the soothing and healing effects of chicken soup, it is important to consider the ingredients of the soup. Not all chicken soups are filled with nutritious healing properties. For example, canned versions of chicken soup, regardless of the presence of noodles, often lack many antioxidants found in homemade versions. Most canned versions of chicken soup are also lacking in abundant vegetables.
The key nutrients in homemade versions of the soup set them apart from these canned varieties. Chicken provides a complete protein source to fight infection in the body. Vegetables supply a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. When prepared the American way, noodles provide an easily digestible carbohydrate source for energy and recovery.
Even the warmth of chicken soup can be beneficial. Drinking liquids and inhaling steam can increase the temperature of the nasal and respiratory passages, often loosening thick mucus. Compared to just hot water, research suggests that chicken soup is more effective at loosening mucus.
Herbs and spices, such as pepper or garlic, sometimes used in chicken soup, also help loosen mucus. Broth containing water and electrolytes helps with hydration.
Therefore, to maximize the health benefits of chicken soup, I recommend preparing homemade varieties with carrots, celery, fresh garlic, herbs, and spices. However, if a more convenient option is needed, look for soups with a variety of vegetables on top of depleted nutrients on the label.
In conclusion, while the latest science is not an outright cure for colds and flu, it suggests that chicken soup can actually help with healing. Grandma seems to be right again.
This article is from Conversation, an independent nonprofit news organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge of academic experts. Learn more about them or subscribe to their weekly newsletter.
Colby Teeman has not received any benefits from companies or organizations that would benefit from this article, nor has he worked for, consulted for, or received funding from any relevant affiliations beyond his academic appointment.