This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.
Soup is a great cold weather dish for weight loss that can incorporate a number of healthy and filling ingredients into your meal while still being easy to make in bulk. While most soups are loaded with vegetables and various forms of protein, the blanket assumption that all soups are healthy can be damaging to your overall health as some ingredients are more calorific than others with less nutritional value. To get the most out of your soups to contribute to a healthy lifestyle, this is the one ingredient that health experts warn you should steer clear of.
Thicker, creamier soups may be comforting in cooler weather, but that doesn’t necessarily make them a healthy addition to your diet. If your soup recipe calls for heavy cream, the calorie content is likely significantly higher than a dish served with a traditional vegetable or chicken broth. “Heavy cream is jam-packed with calories and fat. A single tablespoon of heavy cream contains 51 calories and roughly 5 grams of fat. This equates to 307 calories in one cup of baked potato soup--and this doesn't include add-ons such as bacon, sour cream, and cheese,” warns NSCA Certified Personal Trainer John Fawkes.
Successful weight loss is largely dependent on a sustainable calorie deficit which is much more difficult to maintain when the ingredients you cook with are loaded with calories from fat. “Heavy cream is often high in calories and fats, both of which can set you back in your weight loss efforts. And when you consider all the additional calories that may exist in that bowl of soup, you'll realize why this one ingredient can have such big consequences for your weight loss,” explains health & wellness coach Ashlee Van Buskirk.
Focusing on your vegetable intake will always be one of the best ways to assure weight loss, so you should apply the same principle to your soup recipes. “Instead of using heavy cream as the base in your soup, we recommend choosing recipes that call for pureed, vegetable, or chicken broth. These healthier alternatives will help you cut back on those calories and fats, so you can have a nice bowl of soup without having to worry too much about your weight loss,” says Van Buskirk.
Soup can be a great addition to your diet for healthy weight loss, and while the occasional heavy cream based recipe won’t completely ruin your progress, your body will function better when you prioritize recipes that provide your body with more vegetables and protein. Finding a diet that works for you without feeling like you’re depriving yourself is vital for sustained weight loss results, so hop on Pinterest to find some lighter soup recipes that are a little more nutritionally dense while still adding delicious flavor to your day.
