Can chicken soup help a cold go away?

Chicken soup doesn’t cure a cold, but it can help lessen the symptoms. For centuries, people around the world have used chicken soup to treat the common cold. Chicken soup can help people feel better, but scientists have learned that chicken fat may help relieve cold and flu symptoms in two ways. First, the chicken broth acts as an anti-inflammatory by slowing down the movement of neutrophils (immune system cells that play a role in the body’s inflammatory response). Second, it temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus through the nose. This movement helps relieve congestion and limits the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose’s lining.