"A" before "soup"

[Rachel Adams]

Is it wrong to use "a" before soup?

"Ramen is a spicy soup." Or if I say "My favourite food is Ramen. It's a spicy soup."

[GoesStation]

It's grammatically but not factually correct.

[Rachel Adams]

It's grammatically but not factually correct.

Is it the same with using "a" before "food"? "It's a traditional food."

[GoesStation]

Is it the same with using "a" before "food"? "It's a traditional food."

Yes.

[teechar]

Is it wrong to use "a" before soup?

Not only is it not wrong, it is required!
Those sentences are saying:

Ramen is a/an [adjective] (type of) soup.
It's a/an [adjective] (type of) food.
In other words, "type of" is implicit in those sentences.

[Rachel Adams]

No only is it not wrong, it is required!
Those sentences are saying:

Ramen is a/an [adjective] (type of) soup.
It's a/an [adjective] (type of) food.
In other words, "type of" is implicit in those sentences.

Is this another difference between BrE and AmE?

[emsr2d2]

Where are you seeing a difference? All the responses so far have indicated that "a" is required in your sentences.

[Rachel Adams]

Where are you seeing a difference? All the responses so far have indicated that "a" is required in your sentences.

Oh, I must have misunderstood GoesStation's explanation. It is grammatically correct but not factually.

[GoesStation]

Oh, I must have misunderstood GoesStation's explanation. It is grammatically correct but not factually.

Right. Ramen can contain chili, but it's not otherwise spicy. Most ramen isn't.

[Alexey86]

Not only is it not wrong, it is required!
Those sentences are saying:

Ramen is a/an [adjective] (type of) soup.
It's a/an [adjective] (type of) food.
In other words, "type of" is implicit in those sentences.

In this article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food) you'll find the following examples:

a) Finger food is food meant to be eaten directly using the hands.
b) Fresh food is food which has not been preserved and has not spoiled yet.
c) Organic food is food produced by methods that comply with the standards of organic farming.

Type of is implicit in all these sentences, but there are no articles. Are they wrong?