Why Do We Eat Soup When We have a Cold? - Penn Medicine (2024)
We’ve all been there.
“I think I caught what’s going around the office,” or “I just have a tickle in my throat.”
As the leaves fall and temperatures drop, people tend to spend more time indoors with others, which potentially increases the exposure to cold-causing viruses. At some point this season, most people will catch the common cold, a viral infection in the upper respiratory system characterized by coughing, sneezing, sore throat, and other symptoms.
While medicine and getting a good night’s sleep can help, it’s no wives tale that the simple remedy of a bowl of soup can also help. The prescription predates even the oldest secret family recipe for chicken noodle soup; in the 12th century, Egyptian Jewish physician Moshe ben Maimonides prescribed chicken soup as a treatment for respiratory tract issues.
Albala says soup is often the go-to food because it can be “nourishing, restorative, easy to digest, and interestingly ‘light’ in both consistency and color so as not to tax the system excessively.”
The same recommendation is advised by Melissa Bailey, RD, a clinical dietician at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Bailey believes there is no “one size fits all” approach to diet, but says there is real scientific evidence backing the merits of soup – especially for those with a cold.
Professionally, Bailey meets with patients in individual and group settings to discuss their nutrition history, what they’re eating, and what changes are needed. She sees 12-15 patients daily – most of whom are waiting for a transplant or recently received one – to ensure they’re receiving the appropriate nutrition for their condition during their time in the hospital.
Personally, Bailey’s passion for nutrition and experimenting with recipes in the kitchen now manifests itself as editor of The Nourished Fork, a blog of healthier versions of recipes, including a pumpkin farrato I’m excited to try.
Bailey sees her blog as a way to offer preventative measures outside of her daily career caring for sick patients.
“I’ll give recipes to patients that will say, ‘OK, instead of eating a cheesesteak, how about we try a healthier recipe with similar flavors?’.”
As we enter cold and flu season, Bailey says healthy soup recipes can help stave off symptoms many will face in the months ahead.
“A stuffed pepper soup, for example, embodies all the flavors of a stuffed pepper, but uses low-sodium products, which are great for patients who need to follow a heart healthy diet.”
Though vegetables often lose some of their nutritional value during boiling, steaming and the subsequent draining they undergo after cooking, including them in a soup is a great way to help them maintain healthful attributes, Bailey explains. 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.
“I truly believe we are what we eat. When we eat nourishing foods, such as nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, we tend to feel good. Small changes in our diet can lead to long lasting effects on our health.”
Chicken soup has long been used as a home remedy for cold and flu. Some scientific evidence indicates that the soup could be anti-inflammatory. Though research is scant, experts say chicken soup is worth a try when you're sick.
Even the warmth of chicken soup can help. Drinking the liquid and inhaling the vapors increase the temperature of nasal and respiratory passages, which loosens the thick mucus that often accompanies respiratory illnesses. Compared with hot water alone, studies show chicken soup is more effective at loosening mucus.
Also, a healthy soup provides an easy way to digest the nutrients we need, especially when we're sick. Soup is the perfect “comfort food” not just because it's so easily digested but also, according to some food scientists, soup's close appearance to baby food is a big (subconscious) reason we eat it when ill.
Soup is chock full of the micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, needed to nourish your body and support its various processes. Micronutrients are an important part of every person's diet, and consuming enough of them is essential for combatting diseases such as Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer.
That said, it's important to feed yourself well, Dr. Tewksbury said. A cold— especially if it affects your sense of taste and smell—can squelch your appetite, yet your body still needs calories and nutrients to function and fight the infection, she said.
Broths. Like chicken soup, broths are excellent sources of fluid and electrolytes that can be helpful when you're sick. When hot, they may also help relieve sinus congestion. They're full of flavor and rich in various nutrients while still being easy on your digestive system.
The tried-and-tested soup is the most popular option, being the remedy of choice for three in ten Brits (30%). Perhaps because it has plenty of salt, electrolytes, protein and vitamins, being warming and easy to heat up if you don't have a lot of energy.
“Chicken soup has a lot of value if you're sick in general,” Bergquist said. “The warmth and spices open up the sinuses. For coughs, hot liquids ease the throat, and honey is quite effective. Studies have compared honey with some of the over-the-counter cough medicines and found it works just as well.”
When sickness strikes, our immune system springs into action, requiring additional energy to combat invaders. This heightened activity often leads to an increase in our metabolic rate , energy demands and nutritional requirements. Sugary treats and carbs are quick sources of energy, satisfying this increased demand.
Broths can also help you hydrate, while providing important nutrients and being easy on the stomach. Add some cooked chicken, noodles and vegetables to that broth and you've got a protein-rich chicken noodle soup to help you keep up your strength. Hot tea can help you hydrate. Plus it can help soothe a sore throat.
In English, whether you say “eating soup” or “drinking soup” depends on how you're consuming it. If you're consuming it from a bowl with a spoon then you're “eating” it. If you're consuming it from a cup directly into your mouth then you're “drinking” it.
“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.
The steam from soup or broth speeds up the movement of mucus through the nose to relieve congestion. A healthy soup also helps reduce inflammation. Sipping hot soup enhances your immune system that guards against bacteria and viruses.
The steam from chicken noodle soup also has a mild anti-inflammatory effect. Heat relaxes the muscles, it soothes discomfort in sore throats, it dilates blood vessels to increase blood flow.
One way soup can heal is through the many minerals that are released from the bones as the broth is created: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, silicon and sulfur, to name a few, as well as collagen and glycine.
Any warm soup is good to soothe the feeling of a sore throat, but your best options are vegetable-based soups that will help you get the nutrients needed for recovery. Our soup collection of Tomato and Mushroom soups are all vegetable based and nourish your body with vitamins.
Introduction: My name is Mrs. Angelic Larkin, I am a cute, charming, funny, determined, inexpensive, joyous, cheerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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