January is National Soup Month

Would you enjoy a comfort food as a new beginning? This time of year, is the best weather to enjoy a hot meal with family and friends. What a better way to warm up than a nice and warm bowl of soup. There are plentiful of healthy reasons to enjoy a soup. Let’s explore some:

• Low sodium: Homemade soups with fresh ingredients can be low in sodium and low fat meal options, just by adding more herbs and spices to enhance the flavor. There no need to add much salt, nor bacon.
• High fiber. Soups can be prepared using a variety of vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, zucchini, lentils, all types of beans, tomatoes, and so on. Adding beans, or lentils, increases both the protein, and fiber content. Fiber has been associated to prevent constipation and several other health benefits. Vegetables soups are high in fiber and water, hence why soups can be a delicious way to prevent constipation.
• Weight Management.   When soups contain abundance of vegetables, and beans, lentils, they can produce an early sensation of fullness due to the high fiber and protein content. In this way, soups avoid overeating and as a result may help with weight management.
• Picky eaters. For Moms, who struggle making their picky eater to eat more vegetables soup are a very easy way to meet the daily intake of vegetables.
• Using leftovers: Chicken vegetable soup is one of the favors when it comes to use any leftover chicken or any other meat from the previous day. Using a little of imagination in combinations with your culinary skills, any vegetables, chicken, cilantro, chipotle, and baked tortilla soups can make a deliciously healthy lunch.
• Nonetheless, if you still need help, ideas, family or an individual meal plan, it is wise to consult with a registered dietitian nutritionist. 

By Araceli Vázquez, MS, RDN, LD