Healthy Soups to Keep You Feeling Fuller for Longer
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.
In my opinion, soup may be the world’s most perfect meal. Let’s start with the obvious fact—soup season is synonymous with Fall and Winter, and there’s nothing like a piping hot bowl of soup to warm your body on cool, crisp days. I don’t know about you, but I certainly put lots of miles on my crockpot this time of year!
Now let’s dig into how soup affects your body on a physical level and why it’s a good idea to enjoy it on a more regular basis to meet your nutritional needs in a healthful and satisfying way.
Soup is Super Satisfying
If you struggle with feeling full, eating a bowl of soup before your main meal—or making it the main meal—can help.
There are a few reasons why soup is one of the most filling foods you will ever eat:
- Soup is a high-volume food. High-volume foods are full of water (60-90%) and an abundance of dietary fiber, so they inherently take up more space in your stomach. As it expands, your stomach sends a signal to your brain saying, “Slow down!”. The result is feeling satisfied on less calories. While not all soups are fiber-rich, opting for those made with lots of vegetables, greens, and beans/lentils, will ensure you are getting plenty of filling fiber from your meal.
- Soup is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Herbs, spices, vegetables, greens, and beans are nutrient powerhouses, supplying a sea of health-enhancing vitamins, minerals, prebiotics (food for the healthy bacteria in your gut), antioxidants and enzymes. What does this have to do with soup being so satisfying? To feel full, our brilliant bodies require nutrients, not just calories. When it receives these nutrients from a veggie-packed bowl of soup, it sends the signal to your brain to stop eating. This is why you never hear of anyone complaining about bingeing on vegetable soup!
- Soup has “staying power”. The length of time it takes for a food to empty your stomach is called gastric emptying. The longer it takes, the fuller you will feel. Research discovered that the filling nature of soup is linked to delayed gastric emptying, leading to feelings of gastric distension (stomach enlargement) and quick access to nutrients. As you just learned, your body is in search of nutrients to feel satisfied…and soup satisfies this need beautifully.
Are you sold on soup yet? Check out these amazing healthy homemade recipes that you can make by the batch or in bulk.
Healthy Chicken Soup
Cauliflower and Tomato Bisque
Cauliflower and Leek Soup
Turmeric Cauliflower Soup
Club Fx-Approved Soups at Heinen’s
Don’t let your busy lifestyle keep you from adding soup to your meal plan. There are plenty of Fx™ -approved soups to be savored at your local Heinen’s, so grab a bowl and fill it with one of these delicious options:
18 Chestnuts
Every bowl of 18 Chestnuts soup is a rich, multi-sensory experience. Color, taste, texture, nutrition – they’ve thought of it all. Created with fresh vegetables from local farms, their nutrient-dense soups wake the senses and create a wholesome experience that is meant to be shared.
18 Chestnuts is available in four low-fat, vegan and gluten-free varieties: Butternut Squash, Tuscan Tomato, Carrot Ginger, and Roasted Cauliflower.
Located in the Soup Aisle.
Amy’s Kitchen
You can’t go wrong with Amy’s Kitchen organic soups. Every savory spoonful of slow-simmered broth, organic vegetables, and hearty grains is packed with flavor and nutrition. And with so many varieties to choose from, you’ll be sure to find one to delight your tastebuds. I love their lower sodium line because they managed to slash the sodium without sacrificing taste. My top pick is Amy’s Light in Sodium Lentil Soup (270 mg sodium per cup).
Located in the Soup Aisle.
Chix Soup Co. Wild Rice Chicken Soup
There’s nothing like a bowl of homemade chicken soup to warm the body and calm the mind. I mean, what other soup has an entire series of books written about it? The Chix Soup Co.’s Wild Rice Chicken Soup is a brothy wild and long grain rice soup served with sautéed kale and onion and hand-pulled chicken breast. It ranks a close second to my mom’s recipe, making it a great option to have on-hand when you’re feeling under the weather or just need a quick wholesome meal to serve your family!
Located in the Prepared Foods Department.
Vegan Eats Gourmet Soups
If you’re looking for a super filling soup that checks the boxes of vegan, gluten-free, reduced sodium, soy-free and oil-free, then Vegan Eats gourmet soups and stews are for you! Their three Fx™-approved varieties are brimming with nutrition, fiber, and plenty of flavor: Adobo Black Bean, Spicy Chickpea Curry, and Tuscan Bean Stew with Quinoa.
Located in the Prepared Foods Department.
These soups can stand on their own as a meal, but if you’d like to pair them with a side dish, check out my suggestions below!
How to Make a Meal Out of Soup
Although soup does a great job filling your belly on its own, these accompaniments can make it feel more like a meal. Because I’m a “volume eater”, I like to pair my soup with a salad (also a very high-volume meal), but any of these ideas will work:
- Stir in 1/4-1/2 cup of prepared whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, barley, or farro.
- Pair your soup with a green leafy salad mixed with chopped raw veggies and fruit of your choice.
- Serve it with half of a sandwich on sprouted Ezekiel bread.
- Enjoy with a small plate of Chickpea Dusted Carrot Fries, or Buttercup Squash Fries.
- Pair with a handful of hearty Club Fx-approved crackers like Brad’s Cheddar Veggie Chips, Mary’s Gone Crackers, or Wasa Sourdough Crispbread.
Key Takeaway
We eat roughly 3-5 pounds of food on any given day, regardless of whether that food has a low, medium, or high calorie density. When soup is made the Fx™ way, it’s considered both a high-volume meal with a low calorie density. This means you can enjoy more food, gain more nutrition, and satisfy your body to the core. That’s what I call a win-win-win!
