Why Soup Is So Good for You?
By Our Workplace & Community Engagement Co-ordinator, Connie
Here are just a few of the benefits for you to consider:
1.Healthy & nutritious
Soups are rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that the body needs. By using a variety of vegetables, meat, chicken, legumes and rice, soups can be a rich source of nutrients. Some soups, which are high in fiber such as vegetable soup and legumes, also help keep your digestive system healthy and prevent bloating and constipation. Needless to say, homemade soups are a better choice than canned soup. Making your own soup at home is the best option, as we can use fresh ingredients and also limit the amount of salt in our food. Also we need to be aware that cream-based soups can be high in fat and calories, so they are less healthy than broth-based soups.
2. Increases vegetable consumption
Soup-eaters are shown to have higher intakes of vitamins and minerals ie fibre, vitamin A, magnesium, iron and potassium. They also get more servings of vegetables, most notably, dark greens, orange veggies and legumes. Many Australians don’t get the recommended amount of vegetables in their diet on a daily basis. Adding soup to your diet can help you meet your minimum 5 vegetables per day (based on Australian Dietary Guidelines).
3. Great for using up leftovers
Anything can go into soups, so they are the perfect meal to make if you have vegetables in the fridge that need using up.
4. You Can Eat More for Fewer Calories
When you include soup in your meal, you’re likely to eat a larger portion of food that’s also lower in calories. A US study showed that people who had soup before lunch ie the soup plus a pasta entree consumed fewer calories than those who didn’t start with soup and just ate the pasta alone. Soups that are broth-based are also low in energy density, meaning they have relatively few calories per gram. Choosing foods low in energy density can help you fill up with fewer calories, making it easier to lose weight. Other research shows that diets rich in foods that fill you up with fewer calories, like soup, are associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
5. It’s Filling
Unlike many liquids, soups can be about as filling as solid foods. Soups give a sense of satiety and as a result help people eat less. This means you can serve soup as a meal without worrying you’ll be hungry again shortly after you finish eating. If you make a meal out of soup, a great idea is to chose one that also contains protein.
6. Ideal Winter Warmer
A warm bowl of soup can hit the spot on a cold day. Now that we are well and truly into winter season, the days are shorter and suddenly salads don’t seem as appealing. Adding lovely warm soups, that are rich in taste to your weekly meal planning can be the ideal way to add variety to get you through the cold and wet winter months. It’s time to bring on some soup!
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