Soup is a smart choice if you're trying to lose weight. If you've tried fad soup diets in the past, you'll be glad to know that a successful soup diet goes far beyond the infamous cabbage soup, including a variety of flavors and fresh ingredients so you can enjoy this classic comfort food while still losing weight.
Why Soup Works
The main reason soup is a choice diet food lies in its water content; water in food actually stays in the stomach longer than water drunk as a beverage, according to research from Penn State University. Plus, while a bowl of soup is low in calories, it looks like a large volume of food. This makes your brain think you're eating a lot. Soup is also wholesome and satisfying, helping you feel like you're eating a hearty meal even when it's just broth and vegetables.
Varieties
Soup is a nutritious diet food, but dieters need to choose the right varieties. Cream-based soups or those made with lots of butter or cheese are usually high in calories and fat, so opt for broth-based soups loaded with fiber and lean sources of protein such as vegetables, poultry, fish, beans and whole grains. Soup toppings such as cheese and crackers are big sources of unnecessary calories, so enjoy just a small amount of these extras or use a sprinkling of chopped chives or cilantro to add flavor to your soup.
Considerations
Soups made with vegetables, whole grains and meat are a healthy source of nutrients. But if you're following a soup diet, you still need to make sure you're eating foods from every food group. Don't forget about fruits, dairy products and healthy sources of fat such as olive oil and nuts; keep in mind that soup is mostly water, so even two bowls of vegetable soup with chicken and rice probably won't provide all the veggies, protein and grains you need in a day.
Making Soup
Canned soups are convenient in a pinch, but a soup diet should consist mostly of homemade soups. Canned varieties tend to be very high in sodium and may be low in filling ingredients. You can make your own broth by simmering leftover bones and meat in water, adding vegetables and herbs for flavor and straining the solids after several hours. Create different varieties of soups by mixing and matching beans, vegetables, fish, brown rice, whole-grain pasta, vegetables and spices to suit your tastes.
Strategies
If you're hoping to lose weight, try eating a small bowl of broth-based vegetable soup before eating a half-size portion of your regular lunch and dinner; the soup should fill you up so you end up eating fewer calories overall. Or you can replace two daily meals with hearty soup. Just be sure the soups you choose have a variety of ingredients including vegetables, protein and grains so your body gets the nutrients it needs. Be sure to enjoy healthy snacks such as fruit, string cheese or yogurt as well as a low-calorie third meal in addition to the soup.
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