Can chicken soup really cure a cold? Nutritionists analyze six common winter illness myths

Cold and flu season has arrived, and with it comes a growing demand for vitamins, minerals and supplements to boost immune function and ward off nasty germs and infections.

Whether you’re sipping a nourishing bowl of bone broth when you have a cold or taking a big dose of vitamin C, there are a variety of remedies people are turning to this time of year.

So before you rush out to take more vitamins or start boiling a pot of bones, here are some of the most common dietary remedies we use when we’re not feeling our best.

Chicken Soup Supports the Immune System

real. When it comes to food and nutrition, there are plenty of remedies, but it might be a pleasant surprise to hear that there’s scientific evidence that a bowl of soup made with a bone broth base does have a number of key nutritional benefits related to immune function. Specifically, bones make a broth base that contains an amino acid called carnosine. This molecule has been shown to help inhibit the migration of infected cells through the body, thereby helping the body fight infection in its early stages. This means that while a packet of soup stock isn’t likely to do your immune system any favors, a thick bowl of chicken or beef broth can certainly do the trick.

Vitamin C helps fight colds

Wrong (mostly). While it may be tempting to drink orange juice when you have a runny nose, the evidence is mixed on the role of vitamin C supplementation in reducing illness. Certainly, there is no strong evidence that low-dose vitamin C supplements can prevent you from getting sick, but there is some evidence that taking large doses of this water-soluble vitamin may shorten the duration of cold symptoms if you catch a cold in day one. The take-home message is this – if you feel like you have a cold, drinking a glass or two of juice or eating a few oranges or kiwis won’t hurt you and may slightly shorten the time you have to deal with the sniffles.

Eat when you have a cold, go hungry when you have a fever

Partial error. While some people fast immediately when they’re unwell, many more stick with it. So, should you eat or not eat when you’re unwell? In fact, a closer look at the science shows that we do have some data on the subject. Evidence suggests that the second part of the adage—that we should fast to treat a fever—seems to be a myth. While our basic nutritional status does affect overall immune function, basically, when you have a fever or a cold, your body needs nutrients to fight off infection and, of course, fluids to avoid dehydration. While you may not feel like eating when you’re sick, you’re still best off with light meals and fluids like soups, teas, water, and electrolyte drinks. Not eating at all won’t offer any nutritional or immune benefits; instead, the key to recovery lies in eating the right foods and staying hydrated when you’re unwell.

Drinking milk will increase phlegm

Incorrect. A cold smoothie or creamy latte might be the last thing you want to do when you’re feeling under the weather, but should you really avoid dairy if you have a cold because it increases mucus production? While there’s no strong evidence that dairy actually increases mucus production, milk and even soy milk do naturally change the way your mouth feels after drinking it, which may be why milk is often associated with mucus – not that more mucus is produced, but that more mucus feels like more mucus when you’re already stuffy. This means that there’s no particular reason to avoid dairy when you’re sick, as long as you personally feel better without it.

Garlic fights infection

Incorrect. Garlic has been used as a remedy for thousands of years to treat infections, and while it is theorized that naturally occurring organosulfides in onions and garlic help support immune function by modulating cytokine production, there is little data specifically showing that consuming garlic through diet or supplementation directly affects our propensity to get sick. Treatment Advances Over 20 years ago, a trial of 146 adults did find that garlic supplementation reduced the risk of catching a cold, although this was a one-time study. While there are few risks associated with using garlic supplements, adding garlic to your diet regularly may only provide general long-term health benefits from an overall health perspective, rather than any specific benefits related to colds and flu.

Honey for soothing a sore throat

real. At some point in your life, someone has probably suggested treating a sore throat with a glass of hot water with lemon and honey. The good news is that they were on the right track with this ancient remedy. Honey is known for its natural antibacterial properties, and studies show that using honey as a dietary additive to treat upper respiratory tract infections may help reduce symptoms of the infection. So the next time you feel a tickle in your throat or a cough, it’s worth considering this option.