On a frigid winter day, oftentimes nothing is a better or cozier meal choice than a warm bowl of your favorite soup. We conducted our own research and also reached out to registered nutritionists, dietitians and other health experts to learn more about healthy soup making, and which common, high sodium ingredient might be best to avoid if your goal is to prevent inflammation and weight gain. Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Lisa Richards, registered nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, senior dietitian at UCLA medical center, and Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements.
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Sneaky Sodium In Canned Veggies
There's no denying the convenience of canned vegetables, and unfortunately in many instances, the high sodium content found within them. As reported by Healthline, a 1/2-cup (124-gram) serving of canned peas has 310 mg of sodium, or 13% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI). Similarly, a 1/2-cup (122-gram) serving of canned asparagus packs 346 mg of sodium, or 15% of the RDI (24, 25). (Now, imagine adding that to a chicken or beef broth that might already contain a high amount of sodium!) The outlet notes that "draining and rinsing canned vegetables for a couple of minutes can reduce sodium content by 9–23%, depending on the vegetable." Hunnes points out that using whole, unprocessed veggies in your soup is the best way to prevent unnecessary weight gain, inflammation and sodium intake.
"The foods we eat contribute to a whole range of health or chronic diseases," she acknowledges. "When we follow a primarily whole, plant-based diet, we are at lower risk for and may prevent a whole range of chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and stroke to name a few," Hunnes continues, adding, "Many of these diseases are also associated with inflammation, which is frequently associated with the foods that we eat."
The foods that most often contribute to inflammation include animal products and ultra processed foods, which include canned veggies, she says. "The foods that most often contribute to anti-inflammation include whole, plant-based foods such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables." The foods that most often "fight inflammation" are "whole, plant based foods including cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts," she lists, and, she notes, it’s the "cruciferous compounds in them that are anti-inflammatory."
Richards stresses that eating high-sodium foods frequently can wreck havoc on your gut health. "Canned foods can be an affordable way to add vegetables to your diet, but there are a few nutrients and ingredients to watch out for; sugar, sodium, and syrups," she says. When preparing your soup, she recommends keeping in mind that "gut health has been linked to immunity, glucose control, heart health, and digestion."
Recent research, she continues, has "even discovered links between gut health and mental health." It’s safe to say, Richards emphasizes, that an "unhealthy gut can cause problems in every part of your body." Best agrees, and concludes that "relying on processed convenience foods, even those that are considered healthy, as a main source of nutrition can be damaging to your health and cause you to gain weight more rapidly." With that said, Best suggests using "plant-based pastas and frozen veggies" in your soup, rather than canned, which are still easily accessible. "This can be a more beneficial approach than relying on those that are dangerously high in sodium and will leave you feeling hungry shortly after due to their refined carbohydrate content," Best notes.
