Soup Is The Most Important Meal Of My Life—Turns Out Science Is On My Side (2024)

FAQs

Why is soup important in a meal? ›

Soup is chock full of the micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, needed to nourish your body and support its various processes. Micronutrients are an important part of every person's diet, and consuming enough of them is essential for combatting diseases such as Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer.

May induce weight loss: Though evidence for soup-based diets is lacking, some research has found that eating soup as part of a regular diet may have some health benefits, including weight loss. In a 2011 study, soup intake was associated with lower body mass index (BMI) and smaller waist circumference.

Usually, yes! Soup can be filling, low calorie, nutrient-dense, and supportive of your immune system and weight loss journey. Maximize the benefits by avoiding soups that are full of salt, sugar, or cream. Look for soups brimming with vegetables and sources of filling protein and healthy fat instead.

There's a reason people crave soup when they have a cold. Soups are soothing, sustaining, and nourishing. They give the body the tools needed to rest and recover. They provide comfort when comfort is hard to find.

Soup is a good evening meal to have every day because it is typically low in calories and high in nutrients, making it a healthy option for weight management.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule-a creamy clam chowder will pack in more calories than a small turkey sandwich crammed with vegetables, for instance. But as a rule, soup is the better choice. Why? Soup has a high water content, which can help you feel full.

Other types of soup you should watch out for are instant and canned soups, which are often loaded with sodium. High sodium intakes are associated with high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart and kidney disease, and stroke ( 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ).

Boiled — When cooking vegetables over a long period of time in water, some nutrients will be lost. However, if the water will be consumed with the vegetables — as in the case of soups, stews or curries — many of the vitamins will be retained in the final dish.

The steam from chicken noodle soup also has a mild anti-inflammatory effect. Heat relaxes the muscles, it soothes discomfort in sore throats, it dilates blood vessels to increase blood flow. When you're sick with a cold, white blood cells called neutrophils go straight to your throat, causing it to be inflamed.

Unlike hot caffeinated beverages that leave you dehydrated, soup nourishes you from within and helps increase core body temperature. A bowl of your favorite soup will warm you from inside out on a cold, chilly night, keeping you toasty warm.

What is the best time to drink soup? ›

It should be preferred that soups should be taken as early as possible in the evenings, latest by 7:00pm, if at home and 8:00pm if having dinner out as it has salt content which can lead to water retention in the body if consumed too late.

Unfortunately, there is a catch: Many canned soup products tend to fall on the "unhealthier" side of the healthy-eating spectrum, due to the large amounts of sodium, preservatives, and added sugars they can contain. But what exactly does happen to your body when you eat canned soup?

Soup tends to drip off the soupspoon on the way from the bowl to your mouth. You can take two steps to reduce the chances of drips. 1. Dip your spoon into the soup with the spoon facing away from you and then scoop the soup away from you rather than towards you.

Diet-friendly foods such as broth soups and veggies are loaded with both fiber and water. This will add bulk to your stomach, and for the next 12 to 24 hours, bulk to your scale by up to 3 pounds. Good news is, it's not fat.

Even though broth- and tomato-based soups are mostly water, our bodies register it as a food, not a drink.

Scientifically, soups, along with being appetizing, help in secretion of digestive juices inside the stomach, which aids in proper digestion of the main meal afterwards. Moreover, it calms a growling stomach.

Soup can be a nutrition powerhouse, packed with carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Soup is easy to prepare. After putting all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, a steaming pot of soup will be waiting for the entire family in the evening.

Several studies have found that eating soup as a preload can decrease hunger, increase fullness, and reduce subsequent test meal intake (Himaya & Louis-Sylvestre, 1998; Kissileff, Gruss, Thornton, & Jordan, 1984; Rolls, Bell, & Thorwart, 1999; Rolls, Fedoroff, Guthrie, & Laster, 1990).

The sodium in the recipe helps relieve sore throat pain (the same principle behind gargling warm salt water), the heat helps clear nasal congestion, and can relieve pain and sinus pressure. The vitamins and minerals in nutrient-dense soups can also speed recovery, Bailey adds.