Soup is filling, satisfying and good comfort food. Who doesn’t enjoy the fragrance and texture of a bowl of warm soup as you spoon it into your mouth? One of the healthiest soups you can make is vegetable soup. Unfortunately, not all vegetable soup recipes are equally nutritious. Some contain too much salt, especially if you buy canned soup. Fortunately, it’s easy to modify soup recipes you find online and in cookbooks to make your own healthy vegetable soup recipe – or you can design your own. Here are some ways to make vegetable soup healthier for you and your family.
Start with Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
The problem with most vegetable soup you buy in cans or is served in restaurants is its sodium content. Too much sodium can raise your blood pressure. To lower the sodium content of your healthy vegetable soup recipe, use low-sodium vegetable broth. Preferably, choose one that’s organic too. You can find it at most natural food markets.
Add an Array of Antioxidant-Rich Vegetables
Most people only add a limited number of vegetables to veggie soup. Instead of focusing on corn and potatoes, which have less nutritional value, choose more antioxidant-rich veggies such as kale, Swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, red cabbage, carrots, and red peppers. To make your soup even hardier, add kidney beans or black beans. Red and black beans are surprisingly high in antioxidants. They’re also good sources of heart-healthy fiber. Don’t feel like chopping up vegetables? Frozen vegetables are just as vitamin and nutrition-rich as fresh ones. Go heavy on the veggies, and reap the nutritional benefits.
Add Some Spices
Spices are good sources of antioxidants. To give your vegetable soup an exotic taste, flavor it with curry powder. Curry contains curcumin, a spice with anti-inflammatory properties and one that may reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Italian spices including thyme, oregano, marjoram, and rosemary also give great flavor to veggie soup. Oregano tops the list of antioxidant herbs, and rosemary contains carnosic acid, which may reduce the risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. It also has anti-cancer properties according to preliminary research.
To make your vegetable soup spicy, add a little cayenne pepper. Adding cayenne pepper to foods makes them more filling and subtly boosts metabolism. It’s a good choice if you’re trying to lose weight.
Other Additions to a Healthy Vegetable Soup Recipe
Another way to increase the health benefits of vegetable soup is to add low-sodium tomato juice or tomato sauce as a base to make tomato vegetable soup. Processed tomatoes are a good source of lycopenes, an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Don’t forget to add whole tomatoes for more lycopene power.
What Not to Add to a Healthy Vegetable Soup Recipe
If you’re trying to reduce your saturated fat intake, hold the beef and heavy cream. If you add oil, make sure it’s extra-virgin olive oil.
Enjoy making your own healthy vegetable soup at home. It’s easy and satisfying.
References:
World’s Healthiest Foods website.
Nutr Cancer 24 (3): 257-266.
