This is a line from one of my all time favorite movies, Best in Show... "We have so much in common, we both love soup and snow peas, we love the outdoors, and talking and not talking..." There is SO MUCH to love about soup, and it's super easy to make.
In the world of Culinary Medicine many clinical studies have proven the negative impacts of obesity, i.e. - diabetes, heart disease, stroke, thyroid, cancer, etc. As our National Obesity rates soar past 30% in adults, we see a crushing impact on our health...
Fad diets are created for mass-market adoption (and profit $$$$), and rarely work long-term for the individual. Also, they can be time consuming and costly. So, what options are we left with?
One small hinge that has worked for EVERYONE I've worked with is drinking smoothies and eating SOUP, to replace meals and infuse vital nutrition.
According to Campbell's clinical nutrition research there are Four Ways Soup Can Help Manage Body Weight:
1. Decrease hunger
2. Increase fullness
3. Enhance satisfaction
4. Reduce calorie intake
Caloric intake is VERY important to reducing body weight (just ask Weight Watchers), HOWEVER, and this is a big BUT... the TYPE of calories is more important than the quantity. Replacing breakfast with a Snickers Bar and Dinner with a Starbucks Mocha Frappe is not the caloric reduction I'm talking about...
So what about Soup? Well, if you make fresh vegetable-based soups, with lean protein and whole grains, you will get all of the nutrition you need all in one delicious, easy to digest, low-calorie bowl! I'd recommend you replace dinner with a soup for max impact, so that your body doesn't have to work on overdrive/digestion while you sleep!
"First of all, soup that’s loaded with hearty veggies will give you the high-fiber punch needed to boost satiety and curb cravings. Second, low-calorie bases such as water, veggie broth, and chicken stock make soups one of the least calorically dense meals you can eat", explains Kristen F. Gradney, R.D.N., director of nutrition and metabolic services at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Here are some sample HEALTHY soup recipes -
Greens & Beans Soup (use Low Carb Veggies like cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, celery, and avoid starchy veggies like potatoes and carrots)
Cold soups - Cucumber, Gazpacho, Carrot & Ginger, Coconut Mango
3 things to keep in mind:
Make your soup with FRESH ingredients
Limit butter and dairy (Ghee is okay) and carbs (bread/crackers/grains)
Add flavor with spices instead of SALT
Sample schedule for the day -
7AM Smoothie & Berries
12/Noon lunch - Salad w/ protein, Sandwich, Rice Bowl, etc.
3PM snack - apples & almond butter
6PM Soup!
Lots of water (add lemon and cucumber)
Results - even though every BODY is different, my friend Nikki had great results in following my Small Hinge suggestions (70+ lbs naturally - looking and feeling great!)...
Don't love soup? Stay tuned, I'll have more for you soon!
Love & yum,
Lindsay