Eating healthy soup can provide many benefits as part of a balanced diet. When choosing the healthiest soup, there are several things to consider.
Nutritional Value
The healthiest soups contain lots of vegetables, lean protein, fiber, and nutrients. Some of the most nutritious ingredients to look for include:
- Vegetables: Spinach, kale, tomatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms, etc.
- Beans and legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, etc.
- Lean protein: Chicken, turkey, tofu, beans, etc.
- Whole grains: Barley, quinoa, brown rice, etc.
- Herbs and spices: Garlic, ginger, turmeric, etc.
Soups with lots of veggies, fiber-rich beans, and lean protein can provide important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They can help you meet daily nutrient needs.
Low in Calories
Many healthy soups are relatively low in calories, especially when compared to other high-fat foods. Choosing lower calorie soups can help with weight management.
For example, a 1 cup serving of vegetable soup contains around 100 calories. Meanwhile, a serving of French onion soup contains over 300 calories. Choosing lighter vegetable-based broths over cream-based chowders and bisques can make a big calorie difference.
High in Fiber
Fiber is important for digestive health, cholesterol levels, and staying full between meals. The healthiest soups are packed with high-fiber vegetables, beans, lentils, and whole grains.
For instance, 1 cup of minestrone or lentil soup can provide 5-10 grams of fiber. Getting more fiber from soups promotes regularity, aids weight loss, and reduces disease risk.
Heart Healthy
Many studies show that eating vegetables, whole grains, beans, and lean protein can benefit heart health. These nourishing ingredients are the foundation of healthy soup recipes.
Loading up on potassium-rich veggies like tomatoes and vitamin-packed greens helps lower blood pressure. Beans provide cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Omega-3 rich fish like salmon and sardines support heart health when included in chowders or fish stews.
Supports Immunity
Soup’s savory broth is often made by simmering bones, meat, and vegetables, extracting nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and zinc. This bone broth is gaining popularity as an immunity boosting superfood.
Vitamin C packed veggies like peppers and leafy greens also help fight infection. Garlic, onions, ginger, and turmeric add anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and antioxidant effects. This makes soup a great food during cold season.
Easy to Digest
Warm, soothing broth and soft cooked vegetables in soup make it gentle on digestion. This makes soup a great food when recovering from illness.
The hydrating broth provides fluids and electrolytes. And the vegetables add prebiotics to nourish gut bacteria. Easing back into eating with comforting, digestive-friendly soup helps rebuild your strength.
Satisfying and Filling
Soup’s combination of protein, fiber, and water content can be very filling. Studies show soup eaten before a meal can reduce overall calories consumed at that meal.
Having a bowl of broth-based, vegetable-heavy soup like minestrone before your lunch or dinner may help fill you up faster to avoid overeating.
Versatile
There are so many varieties of healthy soup to choose from based on your tastes and nutritional needs. You can enjoy a different style of healthy soup each day of the week!
Options like vegetable, bean, chicken noodle, tomato, butternut squash, lentil soup, and more make it easy to get all your veggie servings. There are also many ethnic soup choices such as miso, chicken tortilla, Italian wedding soup, and menudo.
The Healthiest Soup Choices
Taking all these factors into account, here are some of the top healthiest soup options and why they’re so beneficial:
Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is made with protein and fiber-rich lentils simmered with vegetables like carrots, onions, and garlic. It’s low calorie, packed with plant-based nutrition, and excellent for cholesterol and heart health.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Classic chicken noodle soup provides lean protein from chicken breast or thigh meat. It also contains veggies, pasta or rice noodles for filling carbs, and is soothing for colds.
Minestrone Soup
With beans, pasta, tomatoes, spinach, and other veggies, minestrone soup is brimming with fiber, antioxidants, and important nutrients. It’s a Mediterranean diet staple that’s fresh and filling.
Vegetable Soup
Full of immunity boosting vegetables and spices like garlic, vegetable soup is low calorie and gives you several servings of produce. Choose tomato, roasted veggie, or garden veggie for variety.
Black Bean Soup
Protein and fiber-packed black beans coupled with vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, and onions make this soup filling. It also provides antioxidants and can be topped with Greek yogurt.
Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut squash adds vitamins A and C, carotenoids, and a delicious creaminess. When blended with onions, garlic, ginger, and peppers, you get a nutritious soup perfect for fall and winter.
Split Pea Soup
Made from dried split peas, this hearty soup offers plant-based protein and fiber. Add carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, and ham for a comforting soup to keep you full.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
For a healthy cream-based soup, broccoli cheese is a good choice. Packed with vitamin C, calcium, and antioxidants from broccoli, the cheese adds protein. Keep portions small though.
Miso Soup
A staple of Japanese cuisine, miso soup has probiotics from fermented soybean paste. With seaweed, tofu, mushrooms, and greens, it’s light but nourishing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, soups with lots of vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, and lean proteins are excellent healthy choices. They provide important nutrients and have benefits for weight loss, heart health, gut health, immunity, and more. Focus on broth-based and creamless options like lentil, chicken noodle, minestrone, and veggie soups for the healthiest ways to stay full and get antioxidants.