Making Soup Healthier
By Donna Stark
Soup is a staple this time of year but sometimes, it isn't always as healthy as it may seem. Prepared soup from the store can be high in sodium and loaded with calories and fat making them a less than ideal choice. Instead, you may want to consider taking the time to make your own. Homemade soup can be a lot healthier than the others because you can control the type, amount, and quality of ingredients added. Take a look at these healthy suggestions.
Choose Reduced-Sodium Broth
One huge step toward controlling the amount of salt in your diet is to replace regular broths with reduced-sodium ones. Reduced-sodium broths come in a variety of flavors, so whether your recipe calls for chicken, beef, or vegetable broth, it's easy to replace.
Add More Vegetables
Nothing beats the flavor of fresh vegetables, but more important than that, there is no better way to increase the amount of nutrition in your soup. It is so easy to grab a handful of baby spinach or frozen carrots and toss them into the pot while your soup is cooking. In addition to providing more nutrition, doing so will also make your soups more hearty!
Add a Puree
Speaking of vegetables, have you ever tried to thicken your soup with a puree? If you have leftover mashed potatoes, butternut squash, or sweet potatoes, put them in a blender, add some broth, and hit the puree button! Adding a flavor-filled puree to your soup is a great way to thicken it without using heavy creams.
Pick a Protein
Soup is one of the most versatile and nutritious foods you can make, but if you also want to make it one of the most filling, you may want to pick a protein to add. Chicken, turkey, tofu, and beans are great options to choose from and can easily turn a mediocre soup into a fabulous meal!
Select Your Grain
You start your salad with a bed of greens, so why not serve your soup on a bed of grains? Whole grain pasta, brown rice, and barley are the perfect complements to many different types of soup, so give them a try! It's a delicious way to include more fiber in your diet and to make your soups more filling. Everyone will love this new ingredient.
Making Soups Delicious and Healthy
Soups have always been the definition of comfort food, but now it's time to make them the definition of good health too. So go ahead and pull out some recipes. There's lots of cooking to do in the upcoming months!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Hillsboro, Ore.