Can Chicken Soup Really Help Cure the Common Cold?

For centuries, cultures around the world have relied on chicken soup to help ease the symptoms of colds, and other maladies, but science has never confirmed its curative powers. A 2017 study published in the medical journal Chest now theorizes that chicken soup may have some anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha studied the interaction of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, and chicken soup, and found less active cells -- perhaps indicating that the soup can alleviate some cold symptoms.

Have some soup, get some rest:

• Previous studies have also alluded to the potential benefits of chicken soup. In 1978, a study documented that chicken soup was more effective than both hot and cold water at clearing up congestion in the nose.
• In 1980, a study showed that chicken broth helps to break down mucous in the lungs. It worked even better when the broth was spicy.
• Chicken soup won’t cure a cold, the medical community agrees, but it may make you feel better. Doctors advise that you should concentrate on good nutrition, get plenty of rest, and drink hot liquids.