Soup is often touted as a convenient, comforting, and calorie-conscious food choice. Studies suggest that incorporating broth- or vegetable-based soups into your diet may lead to reduced calorie consumption during meals. The key lies in opting for lower-calorie, higher-fiber options like vegetable bean or minestrone soup, while avoiding creamy or high-fat varieties. A cup of broth- or tomato-based soup typically contains around 75 to 125 calories, depending on the recipe and ingredients.
The Appeal of Soup
Soup offers several advantages that contribute to its potential for weight management:
- Stomach Trickery: Broth- and tomato-based soups, despite being mostly water, are registered by the body as food, not just a beverage. Research indicates that consuming soup as a first course can lead to a reduction in overall calorie intake during a meal.
- Satiety: Soup provides various sensory stimulations, including aroma, taste, warmth, and visual appeal. The more sensory stimulation a food offers, the more satisfying it becomes. The act of eating soup involves a slower pace, with elements like slurping, savoring, smelling, tasting, chewing, and swallowing. The high water content of soup contributes to its volume, activating the stomach's stretch receptors and signaling satiety to the brain. Chunky soups, which require more time for the stomach to break down solid food, tend to be more satisfying in the long run compared to strained soups. Soups rich in high-fiber whole grains, beans, vegetables, and/or lean meat promote slow digestion and prolonged satiety.
- Weight Management: Research from Baylor College of Medicine suggests that overweight individuals who incorporated soup into their daily diet found it easier to lose weight compared to those who simply reduced calorie intake. The soup-eating group also demonstrated better weight loss maintenance over the following year.
Navigating the Canned Soup Aisle
When choosing canned soups, it's essential to be mindful of the ingredients and nutritional content. Opt for soups that are lower in sodium, fat, and saturated fat, and higher in fiber. Some brands cater to specific dietary needs, such as low-sodium options or those without added MSG (monosodium glutamate).
Brands that tend not to use MSG:
- Instant Soups: Nile Spice Soup Cups, Spice Hunter Soup Cups
- Canned Soups: Andersen's Soups, Campbell's Healthy Request soups, Dominique's Soups, Healthy Choice Soups, Swanson broth, Natural Goodness 33% Less sodium 100% Fat-Free Chicken Broth, Certified Organic Chicken Broth, Certified Organic Vegetable Broth, Wolfgang Puck's Hearty Soups
To enhance the flavor of reduced-sodium soups, consider adding spices and herbs like garlic, ginger, oregano, or parsley. Salt-free seasoning blends can also be used. Be mindful of calorie content, aiming for soups with less than 250 calories per cup to avoid creamy or high-fat varieties, or those with excessive starch or beans.
Popular Canned Soup Choices
According to data from Lose It!, a popular weight loss app, the following canned soups are frequently chosen by users:
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- Progresso’s Light Chicken Noodle: A popular choice with lean chicken breast, vegetables, and egg noodles, but potentially high in sodium.
- Progresso’s Light Zesty Santa Fe Style Chicken: Packed with filling ingredients like chicken, brown rice, black beans, peppers, and corn, and a good source of fiber.
- Progresso’s Traditional Chicken Noodle: A higher-protein option, but also higher in sodium.
- Campbell’s Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle Soup: Contains large chunks of chicken, vegetables, and noodles, and is more protein-rich but also higher in sodium.
- Campbell’s Healthy Request Chunky Chicken Noodle: Lower in sodium and higher in fiber than traditional chicken noodle soup, with chicken and vegetables for satiety.
- Campbell’s Chunky Creamy Chicken & Dumplings: Higher in protein for increased satiety.
- Progresso’s Rich & Hearty Chicken & Homestyle Noodles: A high-volume, low-calorie option for portion control.
- Progresso’s Light Chicken & Dumpling: A lighter take on classic comfort food, with a good source of protein and low in fat.
- Progresso’s Mediterranean-Style Lentil Protein: Rich in plant protein, fiber, and antioxidants, potentially reducing inflammation.
Lose It! members who successfully lost weight often favored broth-based, light, and protein-rich canned soups.
The 7-Day Soup Diet: A Closer Look
Soup diets have gained popularity as a short-term eating plan for quick weight loss. These diets typically involve consuming soup as the main meal for a period of 5-10 days, with some variations allowing for a limited selection of other foods.
Types of Soup Diets:
- Broth-Based Soup Diet: This diet typically lasts for 7 days, with some extending it to 10-14 days. It restricts cream-based soups and encourages the consumption of homemade or canned broth-based soups with vegetables and protein. Some programs may allow small amounts of low-calorie options like lean proteins, non-starchy vegetables, and nonfat dairy.
- Bean Soup Diet: This diet involves consuming vegetable bean soup twice a day, along with any oil-free, plant-based foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It is intended as a lifelong shift to a plant-based diet rather than a short-term weight loss plan.
- Cabbage Soup Diet: This 7-day plan involves eating a chicken- or vegetable-broth-based soup containing cabbage and other low-carb vegetables. It may also include one or two other low-calorie foods like skim milk or leafy greens.
- Chicken Soup Diet: This 7-day diet involves eating chicken soup for every meal except breakfast. Breakfast options include low-calorie foods like nonfat milk and yogurt, fat-free cheese, whole-grain cereal or bread, and fresh fruit.
- Keto Soup Diet: Designed for those following ketogenic or other low-carb diets, this plan limits carbs to 20 grams per day and restricts nuts, dairy, and artificial sweeteners. It includes a keto soup made with ingredients like chicken, bacon, olive oil, chicken stalk, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and low-carb vegetables.
- Sacred Heart Soup Diet: Similar to the cabbage soup diet, this 7-day plan consists primarily of a broth-based soup with non-starchy vegetables, with specific foods allowed on certain days.
The Cabbage Soup Diet: A Detailed Examination
The cabbage soup diet is a calorie-restricted, low-fat, and high-fiber plan designed to be followed for a maximum of seven days. It consists of homemade cabbage soup and specified low-calorie foods such as fruit, vegetables, and skimmed milk.
Foods Allowed:
- Cabbage soup (unlimited)
- Day 1: Raw fruit (except bananas)
- Day 2: Leafy green vegetables, raw or cooked (except potatoes)
- Day 3: Fruits and vegetables (except potatoes or bananas)
- Day 4: Skimmed milk and up to 8 bananas
- Day 5: 280-565g lean beef or chicken (skinless) and up to six tomatoes
- Day 6: Unlimited beef and green leafy vegetables
- Day 7: Brown rice and unsweetened fruit juice
Foods Avoided:
Carb-rich and high-fat foods are restricted.
Evidence and Effectiveness:
While studies suggest that regular soup consumption is associated with healthier weight and a nutritionally balanced diet, there are currently no randomized clinical trials to support the efficacy of the cabbage soup diet.
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Potential Benefits and Drawbacks:
- Weight Loss: Following the cabbage soup diet may result in a difference on the scales, but this will mostly be due to fluid changes rather than fat loss.
- Metabolic Rate: Severely restricting calories can lower the metabolic rate, potentially hindering longer-term weight management.
- Nutritional Adequacy: The diet may not provide all necessary nutrients, and the low fat levels may hinder the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
- Side Effects: Some individuals may experience light-headedness and/or dizziness due to the low-calorie content.
- Digestive Discomfort: Cabbage, being a member of the brassica family, may cause mild digestive discomfort, including bloating and flatulence, in some people.
Who Should Avoid the Cabbage Soup Diet:
Individuals with diabetes, those under 18 or elderly, those with pre-existing medical conditions, pregnant or breastfeeding women, those with or recovering from an eating disorder, and those on prescribed medication should consult their doctor before attempting the diet.
The Reality of Soup Diets
Observational studies suggest that individuals who regularly consume soup tend to have a lower body mass index (BMI) and are less likely to be obese. This may be attributed to soup's ability to increase feelings of fullness, potentially reducing overall calorie intake.
While soup diets may lead to short-term weight loss due to their low-calorie nature, much of the weight loss is likely due to water rather than fat loss. Additionally, the weight may be regained unless a more sustainable eating plan is adopted.
Potential Benefits of Soup Diets:
- Increased vegetable intake
- Increased fiber intake
- Increased water intake
- Easy to follow guidelines
- Potential to encourage plant-based eating
Potential Drawbacks of Soup Diets:
- Unsustainable for long-term weight loss
- Potential for nutrient deficiencies
- Possible reduction in metabolic rate
- Side effects such as dizziness, weakness, or fatigue
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