Autumn means one thing – soup season! And while there’s nothing quite as satisfying as cupping a warm bowl of soup on a chilly day, it’s even better when you know it can help you hit weight loss goals.
Soup is not healthy by default, though. With the wrong recipe or unnecessary ingredients, it’s easy for soup to become a source of extra calories, carbs and salt – not helpful for losing weight. Rather than relying on specific weight loss recipes, it’s better to learn overall cooking strategies for making healthier meals. Swap one ingredient for another, and you can make your cup of soup a much healthier choice – one that tastes delicious, too.
Weight Loss Meal Planning
There are a few ways to modify your favorite soup recipes to make them better for weight management. Here’s what to focus on to improve the nutritional quality of your soup.
- More Protein – Protein is important for muscle health. Prioritize beans, chicken and quinoa, a high-protein grain with nine essential amino acids.
- More Fiber – Fiber helps you feel full so you’re less likely to overindulge. Include wild rice, butternut squash, green beans, and other high-fiber foods to keep digestion on track.
- Fewer Calories – Cut down soup calories by eliminating fats, like excess oil, butter and cream, as much as possible.
- Lower Sodium – Overly salty soups can derail weight loss goals.
5 Easy Ingredient Swaps for Healthier Soup
You don’t have to start from scratch! Take your favorite soup recipes and modify them to fit those goals – more protein and fiber, less sodium and calorie content. Here are five easy ingredient swaps to revamp your soup recipes.
Instead of cheese, use nutritional yeast. A good source of B vitamins, nutritional yeast powers up the taste and texture of soup with its natural cheesy, nutty flavor. Eliminating cheese is also a good way to lower the fat content and calories of soup.
Instead of standard broth, use low-sodium broth. Store-bought broths are often heavy in sodium. Check the labels to find a low-sodium option. It’s one of the easiest ways to improve the nutritional content of homemade soup without adding extra time or energy.
Instead of table salt, use umami-rich ingredients. Mushrooms, tomatoes and seaweed are natural options for adding intense flavor without drenching the soup in salt.
Instead of pasta noodles, use zoodles (zucchini noodles). A quick grate makes instant veggie noodles to add texture and nutrients to soup. This swap is a good way to curb extra carbs while boosting fiber.
Instead of sour cream, use Greek yogurt. If you love topping hot soup with a cold dollop of sour cream, try low-fat Greek yogurt next time! This smart swap adds probiotics and protein while keeping the creaminess.
Go-To Soups for Weight Loss
Ready to try a new recipe? Here are some favorites that are great for weight loss – and taste delicious!
- Tomato and Black Bean Soup
- Beef Barley Soup
- Chicken Zoodle Soup
- Veggie Quinoa Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
- Potato and Kale Soup
Bon appetit!
