Soups are delicious and nutritious. They provide water with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and also some macronutrients. But not all soups are healthy. There are some that fall into the category of less nutritious soups.
Soups
Soups are warming meals. They are preferred during the cold months of winter and also during illnesses such as colds. They are also part of a meal either at the start, middle or end. They can themselves also be a good meal option.
Soups can fill and satiate. They are also great for diets and weight loss programs. Though all of them are nutritious, some are extremely healthy ones. But there could be others which though not bad are not very nutritious too.
Usually, soups contain lean protein and vegetables. But the less nutritious soups have cream or cheese in them. Even if they have other healthy ingredients, they are not good for health. Similarly, soups such as chowders or bisques are tasty but not diet -friendly.
Less nutritious soups
Broccoli and cheese soup (Source: Cafe Delites)Cara Walsh of Medifast California has given an insight into these less nutritious soups
Broccoli and cheese soup
The health factor of this soup varies based on the proportion of cheese and broccoli in it. Cara elaborates:
“Any soup that uses the cheese as the base is not the healthy way to go,”
“Most versions of this soup focus on the cheese, rather than the broccoli.”
Broccoli has a lot of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins in it. It is an excellent veggie but is not so if it is drowning in cheese or cream.
Clam chowder
Clams are protein rich with low calories and fats. They have a lot of minerals in them. But when soaked in a soup with cheese or cream and bacon and potatoes, its healthiness disappears. Cara explains:
“Clam chowder is one of the worst soups a person can eat. It’s high in fat, calories and sodium.”
One cup of clam chowder gives 180 calories. Moreover, it has 20 grams of carbs, eight grams of fats, and six grams of protein. This could upset weight loss diets and affect diabetics negatively.
Clam chowder (Source: Damm delicious)Instant Ramen soup
These come as cup noodles. You need to add warm water to it, wait for five to eight minutes and the soup is ready to drink. But it is loaded with salt and controversial substance, MSG. Cara states:
“Instant ramen is one of the worst soups one can eat,”
“It offers little nutritional value and is very high in sodium.”
Instant Ramen soup (Source: Wikipedia)Lobster bisque
This soup also is too creamy. Hence it has high fats content. Cara reveals:
“Lobster bisque has 20 percent of the daily recommended serving of fat, and most of it is saturated fat. Plus, there are close to one thousand grams of sodium!”
Read here: How Can We Prepare Easy Lobster Bisque?
Otherwise, lobster is an excellent source of protein but is also expensive. It is a delicious soup. One can have it in moderation. But have it on special occasions only.