Soup for weight loss: Soup diet, types of soups, recipes & more

Soup is a highly nutritious liquid usually served before meals that can contain meat, vegetables, cream, and cheese. There are multiple types of soups, depending on the ingredients. Healthy soups can be used for weight loss as they help produce a sensation of fullness, are high in water, low in calories, and can serve as a proper meal also. There are several weight loss soup recipes one can follow. But when following a soup diet for weight loss, try to avoid high-sodium, creamy, and starchy vegetable soups.

In this article, we will cover types of soup, whether it works for weight loss and weight loss soup recipes that you can try at home.

What is a soup and types of soup?

A soup is a delicious and healthy liquid cuisine usually eaten at the start of a meal. Vegetables, grains, meat, fish, herbs and spices can be used to make the soup. These ingredients enhance the soup’s body and vitality. Soup is usually used as an appetizer but some soups can also be had as a main meal.

Types of Soup

Thin Soup

Thin or clear soups need to be crystal clear. They are produced without thickeners, whose components should be floating. It is divided into passed and unpassed. They can serve as healthy soups for weight loss.

1. Passed

Consomme (A clear and tasteful soup) 

2. Unpassed

a) Bouillon(Transparent soup with a rich flavor of the meat)

b) Broth (Cloudier than bouillon because of added barley or oats)

Thick Soup

In thick soups, roux or one of the soup ingredients gives a thicker consistency. Their classification is as follows:

1. Puree soup (Starchy vegetables act as a self-thickening agent)
2. Cream soup (Contain bechamel sauce or cream)
3. Veloute (Roux, stock and purees of veggies, meat are main ingredients. Hot milk is mixed with the soup to make it smoother)
4. Bisque (Shellfish puree thickened using rice or cream) 
5. Chowders (The soup’s basis is milk or tomato)

Cold Soup

Cold soups contain natural gelatin or powder gelatin, as well as starch or puree as thickeners. Cold soups can be thick or thin. Examples include Gazpacho (cold tomato soup) and Ajoblanco (a cold Spanish soup composed of bread, crushed almonds, and garlic).

Is soup good for weight loss?

If you are confused about whether soup is good for weight loss, rest assured that the answer is a Yes.

The following are some of the main reasons why soups are a great idea for weight loss:

• Soup is high in nutrients. You may add veggies, legumes, and lean protein to make healthy soups for weight loss. Another advantage of soup is that it may be simpler to consume more vegetable portions by taking soup rather than eating a huge salad. The vegetable soups can give a good quantity of fiber too.
  
• A soup keeps you full. Soup has a low “energy density,” meaning it has fewer calories than other meals of the same weight due to its high water & fiber content. Choosing low-calorie meals will help you save calories while still feeling satisfied. Weight loss soups will help as they boost the sensation of fullness. As a result, eating soup may reduce your daily calorie intake and help with your weight loss.
  
• A bowl of weight loss soup before the main course can also help you lose weight by allowing you to eat fewer calories during your meal. It is because eating soup with a spoon pushes you to eat slowly, and the brain indicates fullness before you’ve exceeded your ideal calorie limit. Having the soup first makes you feel a little full and you end up eating less in your main meal.
  
• Soup may help you drink more water. Higher water consumption assists in weight loss.

Also Read: Is Banana Good for Weight Loss?

Weight loss soup recipes

There are many recipes for soups available. It becomes difficult to choose from them. Following are the recipes of some best soups for weight loss that can be followed on an Indian weight loss diet:

• Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is an excellent option for a weight loss soup.

Following is the recipe of simple lentil soup:

Recipe

Pressure cook the lentils. Heat the oil. Add cumin seeds to it. Add chopped onions and cook for a few minutes. Then add chopped tomato, green chili, turmeric, and salt and cook for 3 minutes. Add lentils and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the stove and top it with a teaspoon of ghee.

• Tomato Soup

Is tomato soup good for weight loss? Yes, because of its nutritive value and tastefulness.

So here is the recipe for one of the best soups for weight loss:

Recipe

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Cook until the vegetables soften, then season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and add the tomato paste. Continue to stir. Put thyme/ basil or any other herb in the saucepan with the tomatoes. Cook and stir periodically until the tomatoes have softened (10-15 minutes). Bring two cups of water or tomato juice to a boil, then lower the heat so that mixture bubbles softly. Add seasoning to taste. Serve garnished with basil.

• Black Chana Soup

Black Chana soup is among the healthy soups for weight loss, so try yours with the following recipe:

Recipe

Boil black chana for 15 minutes in water and keep that water aside. Blend some tomatoes to puree. Add oil, ginger paste, curry leaves, tomato puree, salt, black pepper, red chili powder, and cumin powder in a pan. Pour into this pan black chana water and mix until it boils. Garnish with coriander and squeeze lemon.

• Rajma Soup

Is rajma soup good for weight loss? Of course, It boosts energy by providing protein to the body and keeping you full for a long time.

Recipe

Heat olive oil in a pan. Then add garlic, cinnamon, bay leaf, and onion and cook for a few minutes. Add red chili and spinach, saute, add tomatoes, cook for 3 minutes, add capsicum, and cook. Lastly, put red beans and vegetable stock. Bring this mixture to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the mixture from the stove and cool. Blend half of the mixture to paste. Mix it with the unblended portion and boil them. Sprinkle cinnamon, salt, and coriander. Mix nicely and serve.

• Paneer Soup

Paneer soup is one of the best soups for weight loss because of its taste and fullness. It can be a meal by itself.

Chunky vegetable soup with paneer (image from Daily9 app)

Try the following recipe to make weight-loss paneer soup

Recipe

Fry paneer cubes in oil. Add onion and maida in the oil and fry until maida turns brown. Now put tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, chili, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder. Pour three cups of water into the pan and steam for 15 minutes. Cool this mixture, blend it, and strain. Now add veggies to the strained soup and boil until vegetables soften. Add the tomato paste and mix. Add paneer cubes to the mixture. Garnish with mint and coriander.

Also Read: Indian Diet Plan for Healthy Life  

Tips to use healthy soups for weight loss?

Here are some tips to keep in mind when making weight loss soups or including soups as part of your weight loss diet.

• Add leafy green vegetables and high-water content vegetables like cabbage and leaf celery as they enhance weight loss because of their low-calorie content and detoxifying characteristics, keeping you full for a long time. You can also add peas and carrots for their antioxidant properties.

• Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for a healthy soup for weight loss.
• You can add beans (rajma) to the soup to make it higher in protein.
• If you are buying a pre-made broth or soup stock, look for low-salt versions. 
• Creamy soups have higher calories, saturated fats, and sodium content. So pick clear soups to stick to diet goals while maintaining your body’s energy. 
• If you are making weight loss soups, try taking the soup 30 minutes before a meal. This helps you to feel fuller and eat less in the main meal.
• Weight loss soups not only taste great but also helps you lose weight and their recipes are quick and easy. Most of them need only a few vessels like a pressure cooker, tawa and/or blender.
• Weight loss soups also affect your overall health positively and reduce the chances of obesity.

Conclusion

Soup is a liquid food with healthy ingredients like vegetables, spices, herbs, meat, and paneer. It works as an appetizer and can help with weight loss. There are multiple benefits of weight loss soup. They increase fiber and water intake while reducing calorie intake. There are numerous varieties of soups, but the best soup for weight loss are those with less cream and salt/sodium content. Soups can be an important part of a weight loss plan that focuses on a balanced diet, physical activity and sleep and this will make the weight loss effects long-lasting.  

About the Author

Coach Shivani

Shivani is a Precision Nutrition-Certified Nutrition Coach with experience of coaching thousands of women. As a mom of two, Shivani knows what it takes for women to achieve weight loss & a healthy lifestyle through diet, exercise & sleep habits. She dislikes one-size-fits-all type advice.