Chicken Soup Benefits Explained: What Science Says About This Classic Sick-Day Meal

Chicken soup remains one of the most trusted meals during colds and the flu, embraced across cultures as a comforting option that many people believe supports recovery. For centuries, preparing a bowl of warm soup for someone unwell has been a familiar act of care, and the dish continues to hold a strong reputation across generations. In many places, it is prepared with noodles, although every culture has its own variation of the soothing recipe.

According to research by Colby Teeman, an assistant professor of dietetics and nutrition at the University of Dayton, the appeal of chicken soup goes beyond tradition. He explains the science behind why this comfort food feels nourishing. “As a registered dietitian and professor of dietetics and nutrition, I’m well aware of the appeal of chicken soup: the warmth of the broth and the rich, savoury flavours of the chicken, vegetables, and noodles. What gives the soup that distinctive taste is ‘umami’, the fifth category of taste sensations, along with sweet, salty, sour, and bitter,” he explains.

Eat Well, Live Well notes that umami, also known as monosodium glutamate, is among the five basic tastes. Teeman adds that the umami flavour comes from amino acids, particularly glutamate. “All that makes sense, because amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and the amino acid glutamate is found in foods with the umami taste. Not all umami foods are meat or poultry, however; cheese, mushrooms, miso, and soy sauce have it too,” Teeman explains.

How Does Umami Influence Appetite When You’re Sick?

Research suggests taste plays a significant role in the healing qualities often associated with chicken soup. Teeman points out that people with upper respiratory illnesses often lose their appetite. “When I see patients with upper respiratory illnesses, I notice many of them are suddenly eating less or not eating at all. This is because acute illnesses ignite an inflammatory response that can decrease your appetite,” he added. A reduced appetite means it becomes harder to get the nutrition needed to support your immune system.

Teeman notes that umami may help stimulate appetite during illness. In one study, participants reported feeling hungrier after tasting a soup enhanced with umami flavour. This improved appetite could encourage people to eat more when their bodies need nutrients the most.

Can Umami Improve Digestion During Illness?

Studies also suggest that umami can support better nutrient digestion. Once the brain detects umami through taste receptors, the digestive tract is primed to absorb protein more efficiently. This can help ease gastrointestinal discomfort, which many people experience when they are unwell. Although upper respiratory infections are not often linked to stomach issues, research in children found that the flu virus increased symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

Overall, the science shows that chicken soup may offer more than emotional comfort. Its umami-rich ingredients can help stimulate appetite, support digestion, and encourage better nutrient absorption, all of which are valuable when recovering from illness.

By Lucky Akinyi