Most of us love a good bowl of soup.
Whether you’re talking about beef stew, chicken noodle soup, tomato soup, or clam chowder—there’s a good chance that there are at least a number of soups that have made their way into your list of top 10 favorite healthy foods to eat.
But here’s an important question:
Is soup actually really healthy for you?
There’s an old saying that soup is the healthiest food, but is it true?
Let’s break it down and talk about the facts.
The Basics: Is Soup Actually Healthy?
The truth of the matter is that soups actually have the potential to be among the healthiest meal options available.
And here’s why.
When prepared with the proper ingredients, soup can make up a nutritious, healthy, and calorie light dish. It can provide you with a huge range of tastes and flavors, while also avoiding processed sugars and calorie stuffing.
There’s also a bit of science to back up the fact that soup is an awesome part of a healthy diet.
For one, some studies have shown that daily calorie intake tends to be lower for people who regularly eat soup.
Studies have also shown that people who eat more soup have a better diet quality, consume less unhealthy fat, and consume more healthy protein and fiber.
Why Is Soup So Healthy?
Well, as it just so happens, soup is generally made up of three things.
- Broth
- Protein, and
- Vegetables
Broth is mostly water, which means that it’ll fill you up while still being extremely light in calories.
Also, since soup is generally savory, this means that it usually won’t be filled with processed sugar, sweeteners, or other ingredients that are going to drive up the fat or sugar content.
Secondly, soup tends to contain a lot of vegetables.
Vegetables, of course, are good for you.
They’re also calorie-light, and they’re not filled with a bunch of artificial sweeteners or sugars.
And finally, there’s protein.
We all need protein from somewhere. And when you put meat like chicken or beef in a soup, not only are you getting a healthy dose of protein, but you’re also getting protein that was prepared in a healthier manner than several alternative, yet common cooking methods.
Instead of deep frying the meat, cooking it slowly in a broth in a soup helps to bring you maximum nutritional value for the minimum number of calories, and minimizes the amount of unhealthy fat.
In Conclusion
Simply put, soup is one of the healthiest meal choices out there.
Plus, it’s pretty easy to make.
Cut up some of your favorite meat, cut up your favorite vegetables, and place them in some kind of broth.
Season them, cook them up, and you’ve got a delicious meal that’ll definitely make you feel full, without filling you up with empty calories.
Still not sure?
Try whipping up some delicious chicken noodle soup, and give it a try.
You just might find that you agree.