As　a　major　formula　in　both　food　and　traditional　medicine,　soup　delivers　health　benefits　besides　the　stomach　filling　nutrients.　The　occurrence　of　non-enzymatic　glycation　(Maillard　reaction)　and　formation　of　nanostructures　distinguish　soups　from　their　raw　materials,　providing　a　new　explanation　of　soups＇　bio-functions.　The　bioactivity　and　chemical　nature　of　the　Maillard　reaction　products　and　nanostructures　in　soups　are　reviewed.　The　artificially　formed　nanoparticles,　consisting　the　purified　glycated　polyphenol　oxidase,　provided　the　first　direct　evidence　of　encapsulation　and　target　delivery　capacity　of　the　soup　nanostructures.　The　high　performance　liquid　chromatography,　coupled　with　multi-angle　laser　light　scattering,　is　an　effective　approach　of　separating　and　identifying　the　bioactive　nanostructures.　It　indicates　that　the　functional　and　toxicological　analysis　of　soups　as　either　food　or　medicine　should　include　the　vital　impacts　of　nanostructures.　The　nanostructure　provide　not　only　a　new　perspective　of　studying　the　functional　traditional　food,　but　also　an　excellent　model　for　discovery　of　next　generation　drugs.