The Hydrating Reason You Eat Soup When You're Sick

A bowl of warm, aromatic chicken soup comes cloaked in promises of nourishing comfort, especially when one is under the weather with a minor cold or major flu. The same tendency to seek solace in a bowl of brothy goodness emerges in times of loss, breakups, stress, or just a well-earned evening of binge-watching and me-time. All the better if the soup is homemade by a nurturing compatriot, but even that is negotiable in these days of doorstep deliveries by armies of food couriers. 

However it comes your way, simple chicken soup takes an elevated position in times of illness and is often credited with speeding the healing process. The question is whether sickbed soup is merely a cherished psychological tradition or an actual healing tool from Mother Nature's hand to the human belly. Actually, it's both. 

When spoon-slurped as a healthful elixir, soup works kinds of magic. Essentially, it comes down to hydration and ingredients. The steaming-hot broth in a healthy, nutritious soup opens nasal passages so you can breathe easier during the day and sleep better at night, both of which lead to quicker recovery times. But even more important, the hot liquid helps prevent dehydration, potentially lowers body fever, and restores essential electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, and sodium. 

Working in tandem with specific ingredients, a hydrating soup — chicken or various alternatives — can help when you're sick. It may be one of many simple yet effective tools in a get-well box of recovery remedies. 

To speed the healing process, it helps to go beyond a mere comfort food alliance between you and a cozy bowl of soup. What's simmering on the stove matters as it moves through your body, starting with the broth. A light, clear, or semi-clear liquid base is easier to digest than thicker creamy versions. As the steam from the broth clears nasal mucous, it helps you feel better and more likely to enjoy eating. 

Since the human body comprises 70% water, per WebMD, the rehydrating elements of soup ensure proper functioning of the entire body. Bone broth, particularly as a base for a fuller soup or consumed on its own, carries needed protein, iron, calcium, and potassium into your body. It also harbors glycine, an amino acid known to encourage relaxation and achieve deeper levels of restorative sleep. Broth can be an excellent choice when stomach upset or gastrointestinal issues hinder the absorption of nutrients your body needs.

Then there's the other nutritious earth offerings swimming around in chicken soup. That same chicken broth that aids in upper respiratory issues carries loads of vitamins and minerals to boost health, as well as some fats to foster a feeling of fullness. Other typical chicken soup ingredients, such as carrots, celery, and onions, bolster the immune system and can quicken recovery time. The chicken provides much-needed protein for increased immunity and keeping bones and muscles strong during illness.

Chicken soup gets a lot of kudos for helping fight illness or at least making it more tolerable. But chicken isn't the only protein capable of doling out comfort and healing. Plenty of other restorative soups can have similar effects. Moving past the strictly broth-based soups leads to a frontrunner for immune-boosting, mineral content, and the ever-important need for hydration: lentil soup. 

An important component of lentils is the high levels of zinc, potentially reducing the duration of a common cold and other illnesses. They also inherently retain water for the hydration you need. Green, red, yellow, or brown lentils are all good contenders for a delicious, nutritious soup. Lentils come loaded with iron, potassium, magnesium, and fiber, all important when you're ill. And they're a valuable source of plant-based protein and fiber, notes Healthline. 

For a zingy power punch of germ-busting components, find or create a soup made from fresh ginger. It's known to ease an upset tummy while battling infections raging in your body. Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory assets, along with a dash of spicy flavor, make it a soup to remember long after you've returned to ordinary daily life.