Why Soup Makes a Great Meal
A warm bowl of soup isn’t just good for the soul; it is good for the body.
While it’s true soup hits the right spot on a cold, blustery day, it is also the perfect light meal because it tends to be high in vegetables. Whether you prefer your veggies chopped or blended, soup is filling and low in digestive energy density.
The first thing to remember is artisanal or homemade soup is a better choice than canned soup. Canned soup often contains the chemical BPA and is high in sodium. Even reduced-sodium soups can have almost 20 percent of the DV for sodium.
Soup Retains All The Vitamins & Minerals Of The Ingredients
Eating soup is one of the best ways to ensure that you are getting the full nutritional content of food. Unlike steaming, frying, or boiling, when cooking ingredients in soup, vitamins and minerals are released into the broth.
Plus most of us don’t get the recommended amount of vegetables. Adding soup to your diet can help you increase your vegetable intake.
Works with cold soup too. A study published in “The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry” in March 2006 found that eating gazpacho every day for two weeks helped increase vitamin C levels in study participants.
Soup Is Hydrating
Soup broth doesn’t just enhance the flavour and experience of eating a bowl of soup, it helps keep your body hydrated.
Beyond just containing water, traditionally prepared soup broth contains a perfect amount of salt which helps your body retain moisture. In fact, a healthy soup helps ensure you are getting all the fluids you need in your diet.
Soup Helps Boost Your Immune System
There’s a reason we always eat chicken noodle soup when we’re sick. Warm soup can help raise our core body temperature to help fight off illness. According to the Mayo Clinic, chicken soup also has anti-inflammatory properties which can reduces aches and pains and has been shown to help clear up mucus. Soup, often referred to as “full liquids”, is prescribed for patients recovering from gastrointestinal surgery, or those who had difficulty chewing or swallowing because it’s an easily digestible meal.
Soup Supports Healthy Weight Management
If you are looking for a great way to help manage weight, soup is the perfect choice. Soup is low in calories, but unlike other low-calorie options, soup is delicious and incredibly filling. Plus, it’s loaded with tons of high protein, high fiber, and low carbohydrates.
Several studies show that when soup is eaten before a meal, it fills you up and helps you eat fewer calories for the entire meal. In one study, when people consumed soup for a snack instead of chips and pretzels, they lost 50% more weight — even though both the soup and snacks had the same amount of calories.
What’s the secret? Binding liquids into food slows down gastric emptying, keeping your stomach fuller for longer. The broth in soup adds weight and volume and additional nutrients, so you can have a healthy, satisfying amount without a heavy calorie load.
Soup Has A Calming Effect
A warm bowl of soup has an incredibly comforting effect. On a stressful day, eating a bowl of soup can help reduce your anxiety and calm your nerves. Soup can also help boost your energy, which will improve your mood.
It’s a great way to share health and happiness with your loved ones.
Conclusion
No matter what health benefits you are looking for from your diet, soup is a great option – the perfect light meal for anyone! A great go-to in the winter months, delicious ingredients coupled with a tasty broth leaves you feeling full and satisfied and a delicious way to create balance after a season of heavy meals or even an indulgent weekend because it gives your digestive system a chance to reboot. And, unlike juicing, which removes fiber from fruit, soup can help to stabilize blood sugar for more sustained energy, especially when it includes tons of fiber-rich veggies, protein and healthy fat.
References:
1. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2128765/
2. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15976148/
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