Super delicious, super nutritious, soup is a superfood!
Winter and all its wonderful delights – who doesn’t love sitting by an open fire with a good book and a wholesome bowl of nutritious soup? Even the thought of it makes us feel cosy and warm inside.
There are many reasons soup is so good for us. It’s the food form of being wrapped in a soft warm blanket.
Nutritionally, soups offer us so much goodness:
Being a liquid, soups help with hydration (winter is a time when we can often forget to drink enough water, cold water out of the tap anyone? While important, it’s often not so appealing!)
Soup fills us up. It’s a great entree, and also stops us overeating the main course, which in turn helps support healthy weight loss.
If made using a bone broth, soups offer valuable nutrients. Use as many different coloured vegetables as possible for vitamins, minerals and fibre. The bone broth adds immune boosting collagen rich gelatine.
Soup is economical, saving us money and feeding the whole family.
Soup can be a whole meal. Add protein sources such as cooked chicken, or a tin of chickpeas for a vegetarian alternative. Wonderful for lunch or dinner.
Soups are a great opportunity to use up leftover vegetables. All the liquid is retained and eaten, hence all the nutrients are retained and eaten!
Soup is a smooth liquid, so serve with crunchy textures such as wholegrain toast or try our recipe for heathy chicken and spinach pies served with sassy sauerkraut. A guaranteed hit with the whānau.
Things to watch for and quick tips:
Avoid tinned and over processed packet soups which are often high in salt and additives. Read the ingredient list to check. A good alternative: the refrigerated soup pouches.
For a creamy nutritious topping on roast kumara or pumpkin soup, add a dollop of greek yogurt and a sprinkling of chives or parsley.
Use a slow cooker. Throw it all together in the morning and let it simmer away all day.
And here’s a tip for the fellas: tomato soup helps the prostate. Studies show men who consume cooked tomato foods on a regular basis have a lower incidence of prostate cancer.
Soup literally is a health food.
Bon Appetit!
Jo Davies
Photographer/Nutritionist, Be Well Clinic Taupō
BCApSc, BSc | jodaviesphotography.shootproof.com
kyndwellness.com | 53 Gillies Ave, Taupō | PH: 0272740687
E: jodavies@xtra.co.nz