“A person cannot live by bread alone,” says the Holy Scriptures. But it doesn’t mention that a person can live by soup alone! Hearty, simple vegetable soups in hot broth are easily digested and make us feel fuller than other meals. In fact, when we use soup as our main meal, we can even cut calories and lose weight! Studies have found that soup satiates us and contributes to a sense of well-being.
Hot soups make us eat slower and feel fuller faster. When we eat slower, we eat less, and our bodies better absorb the beneficial nutrients. Nutrients that may be lost in cooking are in fact gained because we eat the broth that contains them.
Soups are great all the time and can be enjoyed no matter what part of the country you live in, or the climate. What better way to increase your intake of plant proteins than to make a pot of delicious-and nutritious-soup?
The water content in soup provides an amazing benefit. When hot, vegetables are better digested and beneficial nutrients absorbed. Vegetable soups break down cellulose and alter the plants’ cell structures so that fewer of the body’s enzymes are needed for digestion.
What’s in a soup? Often more nutrients than if we ate the vegetables raw. The antioxidants are much more easily absorbed when cooked in a soup compared with eating them raw.
Making soups is a great way to save money and reduce waste. Soups can be made using whatever vegetables are in season-less expensive and a healthier way to eat-and can be refrigerated or even frozen for meals later.
When bananas get overripe, we make banana bread. When making healthy, nutritious soups, just think the same way. You can never have too many vegetables! Whatever is left over can always be thrown into a soup. It’s also a fantastic way to make sure to eat a variety of vegetables. Toss in those that aren’t necessarily your favorites, too-these can be enjoyed in a soup when mixed with other ingredients and flavors.