Chicken soup is known to be good for the soul, but can it help fight the common cold?  Is this just an old wives tale or the truth.  According to the latest scientific study, the answer is yes.  Research in the American Journal of Therapeutics showed that a compound found in chicken soup – carnosine – helped the body’s immune system to fight the early stages of flu.  But the authors warned this benefit ended as soon as the soup was excreted by the body, so that means you may need to have a fairly constant supply.

Using blood samples from volunteers, Dr Rennard showed that the soup inhibited the movement of the most common type of white blood cell, neutrophils, which defend against infection.