Soup is the ultimate comfort food. It’s easy to make, filling and full of nutrition thanks to the fact that it’s often made with nutrient-dense vegetables, legumes, and other fiber-filled ingredients that combine to deliver appealing textures and great flavours. In addition, soup consumption is linked with lower obesity risk, and eating soup before a meal can help control body weight.
Yep, that’s right: a recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that soup eaters tend to weigh less and have smaller waists than those who don’t eat soup: their findings were based on reports of more than 20,000 Americans surveyed by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys between 2003 and 2008. They also found that soup eaters also had better overall eating habits that included more protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and fewer calories and fat (we assume all the fatty, creamy soups like French Onion were not favourites of these skinny subjects!)
Soup makes you feel full due to its high water content, and studies have shown that eating soup as an appetizer can decrease calorie intake at a meal by about 20%: quite simply, starting with soup means you'll feel fuller faster, and be less inclined to pick at the bread basket.
Vegan soup recipes are especially excellent for health and weight loss. They contain very little in the way of saturated fats, but are high in proteins, fibre, micronutrients and vitamins. To add even more benefits to your bowl, garnish with detoxing coriander, omega-rich roasted pumpkin seeds, iodine rich seaweed sprinkles or sea salt, calcium rich sesame seeds or a dash of metabolism-kicking hot sauce.
With soup season on the way, why not enjoy at least of few of the 11 most scrumptious, nutritious and utterly delicious soups that the vegan world has to offer?
1. Curried Butternut Soup with Ginger
So rich and thick there’s simply no need for cream! This dense soup is a tummy warmer, and an immunity-booster: the garlic staves off colds, the ginger improves circulation, and the coconut milk adds a sweet touch.
Get the recipe at SheilaKealey
