Chicken soup is one of the best comfort foods you can eat during pregnancy. It delivers protein, essential minerals, and hydration in a form that’s easy on a sensitive stomach, making it especially helpful during the first trimester when nausea can make solid foods hard to keep down. The main thing to watch is sodium content, particularly with canned or store-bought versions.
Key Nutrients for You and Your Baby
Chicken soup pulls together several nutrients that matter during pregnancy into one easy meal. The chicken itself provides protein your body needs in higher amounts to support fetal growth, along with iron, zinc, and copper. When the soup is made with bones simmered for several hours, the broth becomes a source of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals that support your baby’s developing skeleton and tissues.
Vegetables commonly added to chicken soup, like carrots, celery, and onions, contribute vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber. If you toss in leafy greens like spinach or kale, you’re also getting folate, one of the most important nutrients in early pregnancy for preventing neural tube defects. Adding a starch like noodles, rice, or potatoes gives you the carbohydrates you need for sustained energy.
Why It Helps With Morning Sickness
One of the biggest reasons pregnant women reach for chicken soup is nausea relief. Broth goes down easily when heavier meals won’t stay down, and it contains electrolytes and essential minerals that help maintain blood volume and prevent dehydration. Dehydration actually worsens morning sickness, so keeping fluids up with a nutrient-rich broth can break that cycle.
If the smell of hot soup triggers your nausea (strong aromas are a common problem in the first trimester), try letting it cool to room temperature or even adding ice. The nutrients are the same regardless of temperature, and a cooled broth produces far less steam and scent.
Immune and Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
The old advice about chicken soup when you’re sick turns out to have real science behind it. A well-known study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that chicken soup slows the movement of certain white blood cells called neutrophils, which are responsible for the inflammation that causes congestion and sore throat symptoms. More recent systematic reviews have confirmed that chicken-based soups reduce several markers of inflammation and may improve overall immune readiness.
This matters during pregnancy because your immune system is naturally dialed down to protect the baby, which can leave you more vulnerable to colds and respiratory infections. Having a food in your regular rotation that gently supports immune function, without the risks of certain medications, is a practical advantage.
Glycine and Collagen From Bone Broth
If you make your soup with a long-simmered bone broth, you get the added benefit of collagen and its building block, glycine. Glycine plays a role in fetal development and placental function, making it a particularly valuable amino acid during pregnancy. The collagen released from bones during cooking also supports your own skin elasticity, which can help your body handle the stretching that comes with a growing belly and may support recovery postpartum.
To get meaningful amounts of collagen and glycine, the bones need to simmer for at least several hours. A quick 30-minute soup made with boneless chicken breast won’t deliver the same benefits. Using a whole chicken carcass, chicken feet, or marrow bones and cooking them for 4 to 12 hours (a slow cooker makes this easy) produces a broth that gels when refrigerated, a sign it’s rich in collagen.
Watch the Sodium in Canned Soup
The recommended daily sodium limit during pregnancy is 2,300 milligrams, the same as for other adults. A single can of commercial chicken soup can contain 1,500 to 1,800 milligrams of sodium, which is most of your daily allowance in one sitting. Too much sodium contributes to water retention and swelling, which are already common during pregnancy, and excessive intake can raise blood pressure.
If you’re buying store-bought soup, look for low-sodium versions, which typically contain 400 to 600 milligrams per serving. Better yet, making soup at home lets you control exactly how much salt goes in. You can boost flavor with garlic, ginger, lemon juice, herbs, and black pepper instead of relying on salt.
Safe Preparation Tips
Food safety during pregnancy is non-negotiable because infections like listeria and salmonella carry serious risks for the baby. The CDC recommends cooking all poultry to an internal temperature of 165°F. When making chicken soup from scratch, use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the chicken before shredding it into the broth. Leftover soup should be refrigerated within two hours and eaten within three to four days.
Avoid soups made with undercooked or rare chicken, and be cautious with deli-style soups from buffets or salad bars where temperature control may be inconsistent. When reheating, bring the soup to a full rolling boil rather than just warming it through.
Simple Ways to Make It More Nutritious
A basic chicken and noodle soup is already a solid choice, but small additions can significantly boost its nutritional value during pregnancy:
- Dark leafy greens like spinach or kale add folate and iron, both in high demand during pregnancy.
- Sweet potatoes or butternut squash provide vitamin A, which supports your baby’s eye and organ development.
- Lentils or beans add plant-based protein and fiber, helping with the constipation that’s common in the second and third trimesters.
- Fresh ginger has its own anti-nausea properties and adds flavor without extra sodium.
- A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens the flavor and adds vitamin C, which helps your body absorb the iron from the chicken and greens.
Chicken soup works as a full meal when it contains a protein source, vegetables, and a starch. It’s one of the most forgiving dishes to customize based on what sounds appealing on any given day, which is especially useful when pregnancy cravings and aversions keep shifting.