Are soups useful, and what happens if you skip them: Expert analysis

Are soups truly beneficial?

"Those who lived in Soviet times remember that for lunch, it was customary to eat the first course and something as a side dish. Mothers said that you should eat first so that your stomach does not get upset, or if you don't eat soups, you will get gastritis. However, there are peoples who do not eat first courses at all, and this does not affect the quality and length of their lives. So are soups really an integral part of our lives, or is it just a tribute to tradition?" reflects an expert.

The expert adds insights into the composition of classic chicken soup, stating that all its ingredients, including potatoes, grits, drumsticks, cabbage, peas, water, and spices, can be consumed separately. He challenges the belief that they must be cooked together for the best results. While the volume of the dish increases with added water, the calorie content remains unchanged, as water contributes zero calories.

"So the soup does not have any additional healing properties. The only exception is bone broth, from which you can get collagen, but for this, it must be boiled for 48 hours," clarifies the expert.

He emphasizes that the manner of consuming these products — whether raw, prepared differently, or boiled in the form of soup — makes little difference.

"But the big plus of soups is that the volume of the dish increases. The stomach quickly fills and stretches, there is a feeling of satiety. It turns out that we consumed few calories, and we got satiety due to the volume of the dish," says the coach

Therefore, if you are losing weight, then soups are healthy dishes that help you eat few calories. The only drawback is that there are many ingredients in such dishes, so it is difficult to calculate the calorie content.

Which soups to skip

"Steer clear of rich, fatty meat soups loaded with cream and oil. These dishes can skyrocket in calories, especially if you throw in generous amounts of pasta or cereals," advises the trainer.

Cream-based soups may not be as effective in satiating the body since they are digested more quickly.

"In conclusion, enjoy soups if they appeal to you. If not, there's no harm in excluding them from your diet," explains Popko.

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.