I grew up in a household where my mother and grandmother insisted that “chicken soup” was the cure for everything. Colds, coughs, flus, injuries…pretty much every ailment that happened to me was greeted with a bowl of hot chicken soup.
“Soup” comprises a whole bunch of different offerings that have in common: a liquid dish, typically made by boiling meat, fish, or vegetables, etc., in stock or water.
What roles do/should play in our weight control efforts? The answer to this depends on the type of soup. As an example, harkening back to the days of Grandma Sadie and her “magic” chicken soup, this was not exactly a very compatible SP meal. Why? Grandma Sadie made killer matzo balls and in addition to those balls of carb there was LOTS of noodles added as well. Yes, there was protein (chicken) but a whole lot of carbs.
How about those “Chunky” soups that advertise a bunch of protein in their nutritional facts? The protein is of the “processed” food variety and the sodium content is through the roof. I would not recommend these as an “SP-compatible” meal.
Here is a list of healthier soups:
- Vegetable Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Minestrone
- Black Bean Soup
- Chicken and Vegetable Soup
- Miso Soup
- Turkey Soup
I would recommend the turkey and chicken soups over the others as they pack the protein in along with the vegetables and broth.
Onion soup? Well, the cheese, croutons and/or bread present make that great tasting soup not a greatly compatible meal. The onions and broth are certainly fine.
If/when you do not feel well soups are a great choice to warm you up, provide hydration and provide comfort. However, for long term weight loss these must be accompanied by lots of protein as well. Sorry Grandma Sadie (may you rest in peace)…your great Matzo balls are NOT part of your grandson’s dietary plan for his patients (But they sure beat the heck out of the Carnegie Deli’s matzo balls!).