Soups can serve as an excellent and delicious source of nutrients for a healthy diet. By using fresh, in-season ingredients and planning a menu that balances vegetables, protein, and grains, you can create a healthy, nutritious, soup-based diet. Be sure to consult your doctor before implementing any kind of dramatic change in your diet.
Vegetable Soups
Vegetables are the most important key to a healthy diet. Vegetables provide essential vitamins and nutrients, including calcium, vitamin A and C, potassium, iron, and fiber. Vegetables are rich in antioxidants and help protect against heart disease and cancer. Nourish your body by making soups that include a wide range of colorful vegetables. Some vegetables soups that are high in nutrients and low in fat include carrot soup, tomato soup, white bean and kale soup, and summer vegetable soup. Plan your vegetable soup menu based on the in-season, fresh vegetables sold at your local grocery store.
Bean and Legume Soups
Second to fresh, green vegetables, beans are some of the best nutrient-rich, low fat food for your diet. Beans provide an excellent source of protein and fiber. A high-fiber diet helps you feel full, provides lasting energy, and helps maintain your blood sugar levels. For the best diet, make soups that use a diverse range of beans. You can also make delicious, healthy, satisfying soups that combine beans and vegetable. Some suggestions include split pea soup, three-bean chili, gazpacho with garbanzo beans, and Tuscan white bean stew.
Rice and Grain Soups
Eating 3 oz of grains every day helps maintain healthy weight. Grains provide high levels of fiber, vitamin B and minerals. Some possible healthy grain soups include wild rice mushroom soup and Japanese soup with soba noodles. You can also make soups that combine grains, beans, and vegetables for a well-balanced, complete meal. One possibility is Italian minestrone with kidney beans and whole wheat pasta.
Milk and Dairy Soups
Often times, creamy soup recipes tend to be high in saturated fat. To include dairy in your diet, substitute low fat milk or soy milk for in your soups. You may want to try cream of broccoli soup or potato leek soup. Remember, though, that leafy green vegetables serve as an excellent, healthy source of calcium. Limit your consumption of milk-based soups to once or twice a week.
Meat and Seafood Soups
Meats contain much higher levels of saturated fat and cholesterol than vegetables, bean, and grains. However, meat serves as a great source of vitamin B12 and protein. Limit your soup diet to lean meats, such as poultry or turkey. Consider making fish soups instead, which are high in Omega-3 and low in saturated fat. Some healthy meat soups include chicken adobo soup with bok choy and turkey chili. Also try fish chowder or crab and corn soup.
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