The Ultimate Guide to Incorporating Superfoods into Your Soups
We’ve been hearing about the benefits of Superfoods for years now. Most of us would probably agree that we should be eating more of them. The good news for soup lovers like us is, that it’s super easy to incorporate them into our favorite food. The densely nutritious foods are not just the usual suspects like leafy greens, legumes, and carotene rich veggies.
In fact, many herbs and spices, like turmeric, garlic, and rosemary are considered super as well. Throughout this article, we will explore some of the most popular superfoods, their specific benefits, and how to incorporate them in your soup. We’ll give you a list of superfood soups, and even toss in to stockpot, a recipe for the ultimate superfood soup.
What Is A Superfood?
The term superfood was actually developed by a marketing firm to promote foods that contain certain health benefits, and are packed with nutritional value. For instance, they are chock-full of:
- vitamins
- minerals
- healthy fats
- fiber
- antioxidants
- flavonoids
But, long before the phrase was coined, people, throughout history have known that certain foods, herbs, and spices can help cure what ails you. For thousands of years tribes and villages the world over, have been making teas, pastes, stews, and yes, soups from certain foods to cure, treat, and improve:
- the immune system
- heart health
- improve bone health
- inflammation
- fever
- wounds
- cancer
- depression
- respiratory issues
- digestive disorders
What Are The Most Popular Superfoods And Their Benefits?
The list of superfoods is super long, so for the purpose of this article, we’ll stick with the ones that can easily be added to any soups. Many are the base ingredient for deliciously healthy soups.
1. Kale
Kale is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support overall health. Specific benefits of the leafy green include:
- immune system health
- red blood cell growth
- reduce inflammation
- regulate blood pressure
- promote heart health
- lower cholesterol
- support eye health
- reduce risk of certain cancers
- help promote weight loss
Kale is a great way to add some earthy, nutty flavor to soup, while not adding fat or calories (only 20 calories per cup).
2. Turmeric
Turmeric is a root spice that is known for its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. It has been known to help with:
- arthritis
- asthma
- digestive issues
- healthy heart function
- cognitive function
- skin issues
Tumeric has a strong, spicy, earthy flavor. It will add layers of taste to any vegetable based soups, without overpowering it.
3. Lentils
Lentils are legumes (beans), and they are high in protein, folate, fiber, and antioxidants therefore they help with:
- lowering blood sugar
- reducing the risk of some cancers
- a healthy digestive system
- skin/anti-wrinkling proteins
- supporting a healthy heart
- lowering cholesterol
Lentils are so delicious and healthy, they have their own super delicious soup. But don’t let that stop you from adding them to vegetable soups, and meat based soups.
4. Garlic
Garlic has long been used to improve the flavor of food, especially soups, and is well known for its many health benefits. It’s loaded with antioxidants and acts as a natural antibiotic (killing certain bacteria). Other benefits include:
- improving heart health (reduces plaque)
- reducing inflammation
- boosts immunity (fight colds)
- helps with brain health
- reduces blood pressure
- helps reduce chances of diabetes
- reduce/reverse hair loss
5. Mushrooms
These little fungi are a delicious addition to any soup, and are full of vitamins and minerals that support good health. They are full of folate, B6, copper, and calcium all of which help with:
- healthy blood vessels
- strong bones
- arthritis
- digestion
- menopause symptoms
- fatigue
- fighting free radicals (that cause cancer)
6. Beets
Not only are beets always a sweet and tasty addition to soup, they are loaded with great stuff like potassium, iron, folate, and antioxidants that:
- help with digestive issues
- fight cancer
- build healthy red blood cells
- help with inflammation
- promote brain health
- lower blood pressure
- provide energy
7. Tomatoes
Last but not least on the list are lycopene rich tomatoes. Though filled with vitamin C and calcium, it’s the lycopene that really gives tomatoes their superfood status. It’s a powerful antioxidant that, along with the other nutrients helps to:
- fight chronic diseases
- ward off free radicals that can cause cancer
- build strong bones
- promote eye health
- boost the immune system
- lower cholesterol
- promotes healthy skin and gums
Tips On How To Incorporate These Superfoods Into Your Soup
Adding these and other superfoods to soup is easy. Most can seamlessly be added to any recipe to enhance the nutritional and health effects. But here a few simple tips to make it even easier.
1. Choose foods that you like.
There’s plenty to tasty superfoods out there. Don’t force yourself to eat ones that aren’t your style.
2. Choose fresh and organic.
It’s not always possible, but whenever you can buy fresh vegetables as they contain the most nutrients. Frozen is a good second option. Organic ingredients are grown without pesticides, hormones, and the additives that could counteract the health effects of the food.
The only exception are canned tomatoes. The canning process actually produces more lycopene than is found in the fresh varieties.
3. Talk with your doctor.
If you take prescription medication, it’s a good idea to speak with your doctor before incorporating new foods, just to make sure they won’t interfere with the medicine’s effectiveness.
What Are Some Superfood Soups?
If you’re looking for some soups that are full of superfood goodness, as well as being super tasty, check these out.
- Beet Soup (Borscht)
- Red Lentil Soup
- Potato Kale
- Mushroom and Orzo Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Red Bell Pepper Soup
- Pumpkin Soup
- Carrot Ginger Soup
A Recipe For Superfood Soup
Uf you’re looking for a soup that’s incorporated many of the superfoods covered in this article, we’ve got you covered with this recipe.
Superfood Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
- Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 5 cups of water
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 celery heart, chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons of turmeric
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 beets, diced
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup of chopped kale
- salt and pepper
- juice of half a lime
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium high heat. Add the carrots celery, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauteed for about 5 minutes, or until everything is soft. Add turmeric and mix for about 30 seconds.
2. Add the 5 cups of water, beets, coconut milk, tomatoes, and beans. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until beets are tender.
3. Add the kale, and stir well. Simmer until the kale is wilted. Take the pit off the heat, and squeeze in the lime.