These Are the Healthiest Soups You Can Eat (2024)

A steamy bowl of soup on a chilly day is pretty much guaranteed to be satisfying.

And while it always seems like a light option (“I’ll just have the soup!”), not every soup is great for your waistline.

It turns out some soups can betoolight to keep you satisfied for more than an hour or two — which is fine if you’re considering it a cold-weather snack.

Just don’t think of those as a meal.

Others are loaded with heavy ingredients (such as cream or cheese) that can turn a simple bowl or cup into a serious calorie and/or saturated fat bomb.

But between these extremes are filling, low-calorie soups loaded with nutrient-rich ingredients.Those are the ones you want to eat.

How can you find the healthiest soups? Here’s what you should keep in mind.

Broth-Based Soups With Veggies and Protein

These Are the Healthiest Soups You Can Eat (1)

When it comes to the healthiest soups you can eat, these are the gold standard, says registered dietitian Jessica Cording. Think chicken and vegetable, turkey and black bean chili, or lentil.

The liquid will fill you up for relatively few calories, while the fiber from the vegetables and the protein from the chicken or beans will help keep you satisfied until your next meal or snack.

Portion-wise, stick with about 12 ounces, Cording says, because even though soups such as lentil or vegetarian chili are nutrient-dense, the calories can also add up quickly.

Twelve ounces might seem like it’s on the small side, but, “because these soups are high in fiber, you’ll still feel full,” she says. They’re all you need for a meal.

If you do want to add a little something extra, have a small green salad topped with olive oil and vinegar.

Since the soup itself is hearty, you don’t need much in the way of salad add-ons such as nuts or cheese.

Recipes to try

Broth-Based Soups With Just Vegetables

These Are the Healthiest Soups You Can Eat (2)

The next-best options among the healthiest soups is the pureed varieties such as tomato or butternut squash.

These aren’t unhealthy, but because they’re generally low in both calories and protein, they won’t keep you full for quite as long, Cording says.

So you might be more tempted to snack on junk food (hey there, desk drawer candy bar!) when your stomach starts rumbling an hour or two after lunch.

That’s no reason to avoid these healthy soups completely, though. Just make sure to enjoy them in the context of a meal that will actually keep you satisfied.

“Add a poached egg for some extra protein, or have a small side salad with some chicken,” Cording says.

Recipes to try

  • Apple Butternut Squash Soup from BODi
  • Slow Cooker Lentil Soup fromApples for CJ

Creamy or Cheesy Soups

These Are the Healthiest Soups You Can Eat (3)

There’s nothing wrong with creamy or cheesy things in moderation — such as the occasional slice of pizza.

But when you’re eating a cream- or cheese-based soup (think: cream of mushroom or broccoli cheese) that translated intoloadsof cream or cheese.

“They tend to be very high in calories, so it’s best to avoid them,” Cording says.

Calories aren’t her only concern.

Creamy comfort-food soups can pack several grams of saturated fat, not to mention the, er, digestive issues these super-rich dishes can cause.

Healthier recipes to try

A Note on Soup and Sodium

It’s entirely possible to find some of the healthiest soups you can eat from a restaurant or café, or even in a can.

But you’ve got to pay attention to sodium.

To bump up the flavor, canned and restaurant soups tend to pack way more salt than what you might add to homemade soup.

In the short term, salty broths can leave you puffy and bloated.

And, over time, a diet too high in sodium can beassociated with a higher risk of developing or exacerbating high blood pressure.

If you can make your own healthy soup from scratch, do it. It’s the simplest way to control all of the ingredients that go in your pot.

But when you can’t, stick with store-bought soups that contain less than 500 mg of sodium per serving, Cording says. “And if that’s not an option, make an effort to keep the rest of your foods for that day lower in salt,” she says.

Also, Cording advises to make sure youdrink plenty of waterthroughout the day to stay hydrated.

These Are the Healthiest Soups You Can Eat (2024)

FAQs

These Are the Healthiest Soups You Can Eat? ›

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.

What is the healthiest soup you can eat? ›

6 delicious and healthy soups
  • Chicken Vietnamese Pho.
  • Green spring minestrone.
  • Herb and yoghurt-based soup.
  • Lamb shank and barley soup.
  • Pumpkin soup with star croutons.
  • Lentil and vegetable soup with crusty bread.
Apr 26, 2020

Are soups the healthiest food? ›

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.

What is the least healthiest soup? ›

Clam chowder nutrition

And Walsh agrees, “Clam chowder is one of the worst soups a person can eat. It's high in fat, calories and sodium.” There is 180 calories in a cup of clam chowder. The macronutrient breakdown in a cup of clam chowder is 20 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein.

Can you be healthy just eating soup? ›

A delicious bowl of hot soup loaded up with protein and vegetables can be a healthy addition to any eating plan. But a diet that eliminates healthy food groups is generally not recommended for sustainable weight loss or wellness.

What is the No 1 soup in the world? ›

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

What soup can I eat everyday to lose weight? ›

17 Best Soup Recipes For Weight Loss
  • Best-Ever Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.
  • Healthy Butternut Squash Soup.
  • Hearty Asian Beef Noodle Soup.
  • Hearty Italian Sausage Soup.
  • Chicken Tortilla Soup.
  • Slow Cooker Cuban Tomato and Black Bean Soup.
  • Slow Cooker Green Chile Pork Soup.
  • Keto-Friendly Avocado Soup.
Feb 2, 2024

What soup has the most benefits? ›

The chicken soup is one of the healthiest soups when you're sick due to the anti-inflammatory healing properties. Chicken soup also has high amounts of vitamins such as A, B6 and C because it is made from chicken broth that contains vegetables like carrots, celery and onions.

What is the healthiest soup broth? ›

Best Lower Sodium: Pacific Foods Chicken Bone Broth

It's crafted with organic chicken, spices, vegetables, some flavorings and apple cider vinegar—and there's no salt added. One cup of Pacific Foods' bone broth has just 125 milligrams of sodium, or 5 percent of your DV.

Is progresso soup healthy? ›

Regrettably, there are certain aspects of this product that raise nutritional concerns. First and foremost, the sodium content stands at a hefty 850 milligrams per serving, making up 37% of the daily recommended value. This is almost 75% of the daily sodium limit in a single can.

What soup is easiest on the stomach? ›

Chicken soup is a staple for upset stomachs for a reason. It provides vitamins, protein and other nutrients, and it can help keep you hydrated. You don't need to use a lot of different ingredients to get the benefits either. This basic chicken soup recipe can help you feel better in no time.

Which soup is good to reduce belly fat? ›

5 Best Soups That Will Help To Burn Belly Fat
  • Vegetable soup. Lean protein from chicken combined with a variety of vegetables can make a satisfying and low-calorie soup that can help you feel full and satisfied.
  • Chicken and vegetable soup. ...
  • Black bean soup. ...
  • Lentil soup. ...
  • Tomato soup.
Nov 4, 2023

What is an unhealthy soup? ›

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 ).

Can I live on soup alone? ›

As the soup diet usually only lasts for 7-14 days, it's not recommended in the long term. The NHS also highlights how very low-calorie diets like this often lead to short term weight loss, but it's likely that you'll put some or all of the weight back on once you go back to eating normally.

Does the 7 day soup diet work? ›

As most soup diets are only designed to last for 5 to 10 days, they aren't sustainable weight loss solutions. Furthermore, the severe and rapid reduction in calories and weight can slow your metabolism, making it even harder to maintain your weight loss.

What is the 21 day soup diet? ›

What is the Bone Broth Diet? The bone broth diet is a 21-day plan that involves eating Paleo for five days and fasting for two. During the five days of eating Paleo, you drink anywhere from one to three cups of bone broth. On the fasting days, you have three to six cups of bone broth.

Is canned soup a healthy choice? ›

Canned foods typically get a bad rap for being too processed or high in sodium, but canned soups can be a nutritious source of vegetables and lean protein. While a can of soup doesn't scream "satisfying meal," with a few key additions, you can hack a can of soup into a meal that hits the spot.

References

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