Soup up your diet seasonally
Dear Healthy professor: Do peoples’ diets change with the seasons?
A: Years ago, they definitely did, because seasonal foods were all that were available. Today, however, it’s different because we can purchase almost any food all year long. Of course, the quality may not be optimal, especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables.
In our efforts to “buy local,” many of us are returning to eating what’s in season, and that’s a good thing.
As the weather changes, we tend to look for foods based on the temperature outside. For example, salads may be a menu staple in the summer months but not as much as when the weather starts to turn colder.
This is the season for comfort food. Personally, I am a salad-lover, but the chill in the air has me craving something warmer. What could be just as satisfying as my summer salad and calorie-conscious too?
Soup may be the answer. Before you go all New England Clam Chowder on me, remember that adding cream, butter or cheese to a soup is going to put it into a different category, and that’s not the kind of soup I’m talking about.
I am talking about low-calorie, high-fiber, broth-based soups with lots of vegetables and protein from beans or lean meats. A generous bowl of soup as a meal can satisfy the appetite and is a good alternative to the usual grilled chicken on salad kind of meal.
A hearty soup can be a meal in itself, but it’s also a good strategy to have a cup of soup before a meal. Research by Barbara Rolls, PhD., has shown that a vegetable soup eaten before a meal can reduce the amount of calories consumed in the main meal, resulting in overall calorie reduction.
Her work has contributed to her “volumetrics” eating plan, which focuses on eating foods that are low in energy density. Energy density is a measure of the number of calories in a certain amount of food. The idea is that we can eat more of low energy foods, feel full and still lose weight.
Think about the fact that a serving of minestrone soup could be more filling and possibly fewer calories than just half of a burrito. The balance of weight control comes down to feeling satisfied, and Rolls shows us how to eat more with fewer calories in her book, “The Volumetrics Eating Plan” (Harper Collins, 2005).
Now may be a good time to make soups your “winter salad. ” There are many good canned soups available that have reduced sodium levels. Read the labels and remember that the sodium recommendation for most adults is 1500 mg/day.
I eat the canned stuff, but honestly, homemade soup is best, because I can control the ingredients and the salt with low-sodium broth. Soup is also convenient, because you can prepare a batch or two and freeze individual portions.
There are some great recipes available in healthy cooking books or you can get creative and make up your own concoctions. Low-calorie, filling and nutritious soups can help you stay healthy during the winter season; it’s a long one, so make a lot of soup.
Healthy foods don’t have to break the bank. Here are five suggestions:
Eggs
Kale
Whole-grain pasta
Apples
String cheese
— Gannett News Media
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