Eating hot soup is a centuries-old home remedy for colds and flu, but there are benefits for healthy people, too. Soup is soothing, filling and if made properly can be low in fat and sodium and high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. A low-fat soup diet may not be sustainable for more than a weekend because you need different textures and tastes to stay completely satisfied, but kick-starting your diet with soup is healthier and more satisfying than fasting or fad dieting.
Kick Start Facts
Kick-starting a diet or healthy lifestyle change usually means adopting drastic measures for the short term in order to mark a clear division between your old habits and your new ones. Adopting a very limited diet for one to three days can benefit you both physically and psychologically, but the difficulty of sticking to a draconian regimen for any longer than that is a large part of the reason that fad diets fail. Eating a healthy, soup-based diet is a healthy and efficient way to kick start a healthier lifestyle.
Soup Facts
In a study done at Penn State, when people given the same ingredients in the form of a solid dinner, a casserole and as a soup accompanied by 10 oz. of water, the people who were given the soup ate 26 percent less than the others. According to Penn State nutrition professor Barbara Rolls, the liquid in soup helps you to feel full longer. Also, an appropriate portion of soup looks bigger to people, signaling your brain that it is enough food to satisfy your hunger.
Method
Homemade soups are best because you can control the amount of fat, sodium, sugar and additives. Start with a low-sodium, fat-free broth and add fresh vegetables, lean proteins and herbs and spices for flavor. Avoid starchy wheat pastas in favor of whole grains like brown rice, barley or quinoa. Have hot soup for lunch, an afternoon snack and for dinner for one to three days to wean yourself off of over-processed, mass-produced and fast foods.
Warning
Calories count, especially when you are trying to kick start either a weight-loss plan or a lifestyle of healthy eating. Take in between 1,200 and 1,500 calories per day if you are a woman and between 1,500 and 1,800 calories if you are a man to keep your metabolism up and your hunger down. Avoid cream soups because they are higher in fat, and read the labels on commercial soups to make sure you're not taking in too much sodium or any artificial ingredients.
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