Few foods are as comforting as eating soup when you're recovering from a cold. Soup has been a commonly-prescribed remedy for respiratory illness since as early as the 12th century. And warm drinks, like tea, were used for healing in ancient and modern cultures alike.
We all have rituals to care for ourselves when we get the flu or a cold, but do warm liquids actually have an impact on the body’s ability to heal? As it turns out, certain drinks and soups may help lessen symptoms like congestion and could even boost the immune system to fight off an illness.
But even with the popularity of these edible remedies, scientific research isn't conclusive on exactly what our favorite foods and drinks do to heal us. However, a handful of studies show that our bodies can benefit from our favorite sick cures — or at least, it doesn't hurt to try them.
