By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

When temperatures outside get colder, meals tend to get warmer. Indeed, with winter on its way, soup season is upon us! 

Soups can do a lot more than just warm you up on a chilly day, though. They’re a great vehicle for adding more vegetables to your diet and can be made with other health-promoting ingredients. However, some soups are healthier than others. 

Read on to learn more about the benefits of soups and healthy options you can add to your weight loss meal plan. 

Soup Benefits 

Soups can be a healthy choice that may even help with weight loss. First, soups are often filling without containing a ton of calories. Due to their high liquid content and the time it takes to eat soup, you may feel more satisfied and less inclined to snack between meals. 

In addition, soups can be packed with vegetables, especially those made from pureed vegetables, recipes with whole grains or beans, and veggie-heavy stews. Add in some immune-supporting ingredients, such as ginger, herbs, and other spices, and soup can be quite the nutrient-dense and healthy meal. 

Healthy Soup Choices 

While many soups offer health benefits, they’re not all created equal. To choose a healthy soup, look for those that are vegetable-based, include lean proteins like beans, chicken, or turkey, and use whole grains over white flour noodles or other refined grains. Limit options that are packed with heavy cream or cheese. If you’re in the mood for a creamy soup or bisque, see if there’s a vegan version that gets its creaminess from cashews, white beans, or coconut milk.  

It’s important to keep an eye on sodium content, too. Many canned soups are loaded with salt. If you are watching your sodium intake, opt for homemade soups that use less salt and more herbs and spices when you can. Choose canned options that are marked as low sodium. 

Some soups that tend to not be as nutritious as others include baked potato soup, broccoli cheese soup, clam chowder, and those served in bread bowls. However, if you’re craving one of those soups, there’s almost always a healthier or lightened up version you can find online! 

Here are some healthy soups to enjoy: 

• Squash soups 

• Tomato bisque, especially plant-based versions that use cashews instead of cream 

• Chilis, especially vegetarian options and those lower in sodium than canned or store-bought 

• Minestrone soup 

• Black bean soup 

• Lentil soup 

• Root vegetable stew 

• Borscht (beet soup) 

• Low-sodium chicken noodle soup 

• Lemon chicken and brown rice soup 

• Turkey and wild rice soup, especially broth-based options instead of those with heavy cream 

• Ginger carrot soup 

• Kale white bean soup 

• Mushroom barley soup 

• Italian wedding soup 

• Cabbage soup 

• Stuffed pepper soup 

• Curry red lentil soup 

• Split pea soup 

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: We include a variety of healthy and delicious soups on our menus, such as our Creamy White Bean Chili, Hubbard Squash Soup, and Smoky Black Bean Soup. Get started with one of our plans today and use promo code TryHFLM to save $10 on your first 7-day order.