Health & Wellness Articles
A Warm, Winter Meal that Packs Nutritional Punch
by Amy Jamieson-Petonic, MEd., R.D.
The winter months bring colder temperatures, longer nights, and the desire for foods that warm the soul. Soups can be a great way to try some new and easy recipes that will be short on time, but high on taste and nutrition.
Soups can be made on the stove or in the crock pot. For those of us who just can't seem to find enough hours in the day, the crock pot can be a saving grace. Present company included!
With a bit of planning, you can make a wonderful soup on one day, and a hearty stew or chili the next, and have meals for at least 3-4 days. One of my favorite dishes to make in my crock pot is a hearty soup that can be made in no time at all. The soup contains low sodium broth, lean meat of some sort (lean beef, chicken, or turkey), and lots of vegetables. Looking for extra nutrition for your soup? Feel free to add a carbohydrate source such as whole grain noodles, brown rice, or barley to it. The nutritional breakdown of soup ingredients is as follows:
Low sodium broth. This soup base provides much needed fluid for the body. The human body is approximately 70% water, and every cell in our body requires water to function. If the body is dehydrated, the body will shut down.
Lean protein. Protein is needed to help repair and renew muscles in the body and meats such as beef and chicken are high in vitamin B3. This vitamin, also known as niacin, is used as a coenzyme in many metabolic reactions throughout the body. One of the major functions of vitamin B3 is to help release energy from foods.
Vegetables. You can be as creative as you like with these ingredients. You can use frozen or low salt canned vegetables in the soup. If you use canned vegetables, remember to use the low sodium version. Many people wonder whether canned vegetables are as nutritious as frozen vegetables. I can assure you that canned vegetables are picked and prepared at their highest nutrient value and are just as healthful as frozen vegetables. Some suggested vegetables to add to your soup include onions, celery, carrots, green beans, corn or peppers, but any vegetable blend will do. Vegetables provide a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients for the body. Vegetables contain antioxidants, which have been shown to assist in reducing the number of harmful free radicals in the body. Free radicals that roam throughout the body have been linked to cardiovascular disease as well as cancer. Consider your vegetables to be the “nutritional powerhouses” of your soup!
Noodles rice or barley. Whole grain noodles or brown rice can be added to your soup at the end of cooking and will provide much needed complex carbohydrates for energy. Barley is a great source of soluble fiber, which has been shown to help reduce elevated cholesterol levels.
Soups are a wonderful way to provide good nutrition on chilly winter days. Soups offer much needed fluids, vitamins and minerals for the body. Soups can be made quickly on the stove, or simmered for hours in a crock pot.
I like the crock pot because I can make the soup in the morning and go about my day. There is nothing like coming home to the aroma of a savory soup. Now that's good nutrition for the heart as well as the soul!