Is Chicken Soup Good for a Cold? What the Science Says

Does chicken soup really help a cold? What two well-known studies found, what they did not prove, and how to look after yourself.

By the Forkful editorial team · Published October 16, 2026

Quick answer

Chicken soup will not cure a cold, but it can help you feel a little better. Like other hot drinks it keeps you hydrated and briefly helps clear a blocked nose, and one laboratory study suggests it may have a mild anti-inflammatory effect. Rest and plenty of fluids are still the main treatment.

Bowl of chicken soup with vegetables and a spoon — Photo: Unsplash

Can chicken soup cure a cold?

No. Colds are caused by viruses, and no food, chicken soup included, has been shown to kill them or make a cold end sooner. Most colds get better on their own: symptoms build up over 2–3 days and most people feel better within 1–2 weeks.

What chicken soup can do is make those days a little easier. It is warm, easy to eat when you have no appetite and it counts towards the extra fluids you need.

What the studies found

In a 1978 study published in the journal Chest, researchers gave 15 healthy volunteers hot water, cold water or hot chicken soup. Both hot drinks made nasal mucus move faster for a short time, which helps to clear a stuffy nose, and the soup did slightly better than hot water. Thirty minutes later the effect had worn off.

In 2000, another study in Chest tested a traditional homemade chicken soup in the laboratory. The soup slowed the movement of neutrophils, white blood cells involved in inflammation, and several commercial soups had the same effect. The authors suggested this might mean a mild anti-inflammatory effect, but the experiment was done in test tubes, not in people with colds.

In short: there is a little evidence that chicken soup may ease symptoms, but no proof that it shortens a cold.

Why it may help you feel better

The steam from a hot bowl can loosen a blocked nose for a while. The broth provides fluids and a little salt when you are not drinking much, and chicken, noodles and vegetables are easy to eat when your appetite is low. Warm, familiar food is also simply comforting when you feel unwell.

Other things that help with a cold

The UK National Health Service (NHS) recommends resting, drinking plenty of fluids and eating healthily. A hot lemon and honey drink can soothe a sore throat (never give honey to babies under 12 months), and breathing in steam can ease a blocked nose. Antibiotics do not work against colds, and there is little evidence that vitamin C, echinacea or garlic prevent colds or speed recovery.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if a high temperature lasts more than 3 days, your symptoms get worse or have not improved after 10 days, you feel short of breath or have chest pain, a cough lasts more than 3 weeks, or you have a long-term condition or a weakened immune system. If you are worried about a baby or young child, get advice sooner.

This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice.

Make it at home

Soup

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Comforting, golden chicken noodle soup with tender chicken, vegetables and egg noodles — in under an hour.

⏱ 55 min🍽 6 servings

Frequently asked questions

Is chicken soup good when you are sick?

It can help you feel better: it keeps you hydrated, the steam briefly clears a blocked nose and it is easy to eat. It does not cure a cold or flu.

Is homemade chicken soup better than canned?

In the 2000 laboratory study several commercial soups showed the same effect as the homemade one. Making it at home lets you control the salt and add more vegetables.

How long does a cold last?

According to the NHS, symptoms build up over 2–3 days and most people feel better within 1–2 weeks.