Many people believe that soup improves digestion and consider it an integral part of a full meal. However, there are those who do not like soups and broths, ignoring their potential health benefits. In this article, we will figure out what the benefits of soup are and whether you need to eat it every day.
3 Main Reasons Why Soup Is Healthy
The first course usually consists of broth, boiled or fried vegetables and pieces of meat. There are three main reasons why this combination can be useful.
1. Soup helps control appetite
Even though the soup is based on water, the body perceives it as food, not a drink. According to research by Barbara Rolls, a professor in the Laboratory for the Study of Human Eating Behavior, women who ate a 270-calorie entree before lunch ate 100 fewer calories than those who skipped the entree. The key to Barbara Rolls’s research: Although the subjects ate less during lunch, they did not feel hungry, and they did not compensate for the lost calories during dinner.
2. Soup is a synonym for satiety
Regular soups based on meat or chicken broth do not have many calories if you compare them with a full main course. At the same time, they can really fill you up. Nutritionist Helen Magee identified several main reasons why this happens:
- The aroma of the soup, the sight of the many ingredients, the taste and warmth of the plate – these are what are called sensory stimuli. The more of these signals the brain perceives, the more calories and filling the dish seems.
- It is better to eat the first course slowly. This approach gives the brain time to receive a signal of satiety before the end of the meal and thus prevents overeating.
- When you eat soup, special receptors in the gastrointestinal tract react to the stretching of the stomach and send signals to the brain that the person is full.
3. Makes your diet healthier
Including soup in your daily menu helps you switch to healthy eating. Firstly, vegetable and meat broths contain a large number of useful substances, such as collagen and amino acids. Secondly, the soup contains vegetables, which contain many vitamins and minerals.
Interesting fact
Soups are easy to digest. Because of this, they are often included in diets for gastrointestinal diseases.
Should you eat soups every day?
Despite the possible benefits of soups for the body, it is not necessary to eat them. The main thing in proper nutrition :
- include as many different foods as possible in your diet: meat, vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, etc.;
- eat less fat – no more than 30% of your total diet;
- don’t get carried away with sugar: limit it to 10% of your daily intake;
- reduce salt intake to five grams per day.
To achieve a balanced diet, it is recommended to include both soups and other dishes, such as stews or salads, in your daily menu.
Interesting fact
According to Amanda Sauceda, a nutritionist and professor at California State University, Long Beach, said that chicken broth is actually helpful for cold symptoms. Research has shown that the ingredients of the dish — carrots, onions, chicken, and water — may have an anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, broth helps replenish electrolytes lost due to gastrointestinal illnesses.
Will soup help you lose weight?
Including soups in your daily diet can actually help you fight excess weight. According to a study by Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, men and women were able to lose excess pounds and keep the result off for the next year, thanks in part to soup.
And although in order to lose weight, it is necessary to reduce calories, nutritionists recommend eating thick soups, not thin ones, where there are more vegetables and meat. These are the dishes that will help you feel full faster.
Advice
Doctors at Liaoning Medical University recommend not to get carried away with cream-based soups with a lot of cream and starchy vegetables.
The Best Soup Ingredients According to Nutritionists
To prepare not just a tasty soup, but also one that is good for your figure and health, doctors at Gujarat University recommend paying attention to these vegetables:
- Beets. They contain many nutrients, such as betalains, which help fight inflammation and eliminate toxins;
- Asparagus. Contains vitamins K, C, and E, B vitamins including B1, B2, B3, B5, and some B6, as well as folate, copper, selenium, manganese, and phosphorus. The fiber and phytonutrients in asparagus aid in digestion;
- Legumes. such as dried ground peas or lentils. They are high in protein and antioxidants. Peas or lentils make a thick, hearty soup. For added flavor, you can add chicken or turkey breast or chunks of sausage;
- mushrooms. They contain many useful substances like riboflavin, niacin, selenium, and potassium. They even contain vitamin D, which you can’t get from other vegetables. In addition, they are low in calories and contain virtually no fat, cholesterol, or salt.
Also, don’t forget about the usual vegetables for soup – such as potatoes, onions, cabbage and carrots.
What can be done?
Diversify your everyday menu with soups. For example, in the fall you can make pumpkin soup or borscht from seasonal vegetables, in the winter lentil soup with tomatoes will warm you up perfectly, and in the summer heat the ideal dish is okroshka. There are many variations of the first course – you can always find the recipe that suits you.
Calorie Calculator
