10 Soups You Should Include In Your Weight Loss Diet
Including soups in your diet can be a one-pot solution for all your weight loss woes particularly if you are tired of eating salads to lose weight. Soups are low in calorie and high in fibre and can make you feel full for longer. Soups are also light on the tummy.
We have some healthy recipes of soups that you can make. By including these soups in your diet, you can lose weight the healthy way and not compromise on the nutritious stuff.
How Soups Can Help You Lose Weight
Soups can help you meet your daily nutritional requirements as they are loaded with the goodness of vegetables and fibre content. Soups can also be your ideal go-to choice for times when you are battling bad cough and cold as they can help the body in replenishing all the lost nutrients. Also, soups can help you lose weight in the following ways:
- Soups can match about two to three servings of fruits and vegetables effortlessly. Therefore, they can effectively limit hunger pangs by making you feel satiated. Just ensure you avoid adding unhealthy ingredients into your soup to maximise its benefits.
- Soups with low-calorie constituents like vegetable broth, chicken stock, water can thwart accumulation of fat and support weight loss.
- Soups offer an ample dose of fibres which may act as a potent natural appetite suppressant thereby helping in slimming down.
- By adding spices like cinnamon, black pepper, and paprika in your soup, you can lose weight quickly as these spices enhance metabolic rate.
Healthy Soup Recipes That You Try at Home
Here are some healthy soup recipes that you can try at home and lose weight without compromising on the good food:
1. Tomato Soup
We all love to drink tomato soup, don’t we? But you will love it even more if you can include it in your weight loss diet. Tomato soup tastes delicious and can even help you keep your weight in check.
Ingredients
- Six tomatoes (washed thoroughly)
- A teaspoon of cumin seeds
- Six cloves
- A teaspoon of sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Half a teaspoon of butter
- Four cups of water
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker, take the tomatoes and water to it. Let the tomatoes cook up to 4 whistles.
- Once cooked, turn off the heat and take out the tomatoes from the cooker and peel off their skin once they cool down.
- Next, process them in a blender to make a smooth paste.
- Strain the mix to eliminate seeds if any.
- Transfer this mix to a pan and allow it to simmer for a few minutes on medium heat.
- Add water as per the desired consistency.
- Turn off the heat and keep aside.
- Take another pan, add butter to it. Once it heats, add cloves and cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds change colour, add soup to it.
- Add salt and pepper.
- Pour the cumin-clove mix atop the soup before serving.
2. Garlic Vegetable Soup
This hearty soup is a great pick for vegetable lovers. The garlic in the soup can be a real treat for the taste buds. You may like to go in for powdered moong dal or oats to increase its thickness.
Ingredients
- A cup of mixed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, beets, green peas, capsicum)
- An onion (finely chopped)
- Six pods of garlic (finely sliced)
- Two tablespoons of oats (powdered and roasted)
- Pepper and salt to taste
- Two cloves for seasoning
- Two cups of water
- Butter
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a pan on medium flame.
- Add the garlic and sauté for a minute.
- Next, add the chopped onions and cook until they turn golden brown.
- Add the vegetables and stir fry them for about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Pour water and let them come to a boil.
- Cover the pan with a lid and allow the mix to simmer until vegetables turn tender.
- Sprinkle the salt and pepper.
- Blend in the powdered oats and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Turn off the flame and keep the soup aside.
- In another small pan, dry roast cloves and crush them well.
- Garnish the soup with crushed cloves before serving.
3. Moong Dal Carrot Soup
The amazing blend of nourishing lentils and antioxidant-rich carrots makes this soup a great addition to any weight loss diet. The skimmed milk in the soup delivers protein transforming it in a wholesome meal.
Ingredients
- 1/8 cup moong dal or split green gram lentils (washed and drained)
- Half a cup of carrots (finely chopped)
- Half a cup of onions (finely chopped)
- A tomato (finely chopped)
- Six pods of garlic (finely sliced)
- Half a teaspoon of cumin seeds
- Two cloves
- Two to three tablespoons of skim milk
- A cup of water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A teaspoon of oil
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat.
- Add the garlic and onions, and sauté them for 2 minutes or until they turn light brown.
- Next, add the carrots and tomatoes.
- Cook for a few minutes.
- In a pan, roast the moong dal until you can smell a pleasant aroma.
- Add the roasted moong dal to the vegetable mix.
- Pour water and allow the blend to simmer for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer the mix to a blender and make a smooth paste.
- Empty the mixture into a pan and place it on low flame.
- Add the skim milk.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- For garnish, splutter cumin seeds and cloves in little oil.
- Sprinkle them over the soup before serving.
4. Cabbage Soup
Cabbage soup for weight loss can also be a valuable option. Drinking cabbage soup can help in melting the additional fat without you having to count the calories!
Ingredients
- A small cabbage (finely sliced)
- An onion (finely chopped)
- A tomato (finely chopped)
- Two cups of vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Tabasco sauce (optional)
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a pan on medium flame and add the olive oil.
- Add chopped onions and sauté them for about 3 minutes or until they turn pink.
- Next, add the sliced cabbage and cover the pan.
- Cook for about 10 minutes or until the cabbage turns soft.
- Add the vegetable broth and boil the mix for 5 minutes.
- Next, allow the mix to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Garnish with tabasco sauce.
5. Mushroom Soup
Mushroom soup is low in calories and tastes delicious. It can help you lose weight as well.
Ingredients
- A cup of button mushrooms (washed and chopped)
- A cup of milk
- Half a cup of finely sliced onions
- A teaspoon of cornflour dissolved in one-fourth cup of skim milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Mix herbs as per preference
- Two cups of water
Instructions
- Pour the milk in a pan and heat it on medium flame.
- Add the mushrooms and boil them until they become soft.
- Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.
- Once they cool transfer them to a blender to make a smooth paste.
- In another pan, add the onions and roast them by sprinkling enough water until they turn golden brown.
- Transfer the roasted onions to a plate.
- Next, add the mushroom paste to the pan with some water and allow them to simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Blend in the cornflour and salt.
- Lower the heat and let it cook for about 5 minutes or until the mix becomes creamy and thick.
- Garnish with roasted onions and serve hot.
6. Red Kidney Beans Soup
You can gorge on this soup and have a slim and fit body. Plus, this creamy soup can double up as a main course dish too.
Ingredients
- One-fourth cup of red kidney beans (washed)
- Two onions (finely chopped)
- A tomato (finely chopped)
- A carrot (peeled and finely sliced)
- Four pods of garlic (peeled and minced)
- An inch of ginger (peeled and finely grated)
- One-fourth cup of skim milk, if necessary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red chilli flakes (optional)
- A teaspoon of chaat masala
- A tablespoon of finely chopped coriander leaves
- A teaspoon of oil
Instructions
- Pressure cook the kidney beans along with grated carrots.
- Save the water and keep aside half the beans.
- Mash the remaining beans well in a bowl.
- Heat the oil in a small pan and add the garlic, ginger, and onions.
- Sauté them for 2 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes.
- Next, add the mashed beans, salt, and pepper.
- Remove from heat and once the mix cools blend it.
- Add red chilli flakes and mix to get a smooth puree.
- Transfer this mix again to a pan, add the non-mashed beans and allow it to simmer for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the saved water as per desired consistency.
- Add the skimmed milk if required.
- Sprinkle coriander leaves, chaat masala before serving.
7. Mixed Vegetable Soup
This delicious soup uses bay leaves and pepper which intensifies its flavour and provides a spicy tinge. You can also squeeze a lemon to supplement the flavour.
Ingredients
- A cabbage (finely chopped)
- An onion (finely sliced)
- A tomato (finely chopped)
- Capsicum (finely chopped)
- A cup of florets of cauliflower
- Four to five bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A teaspoon of oil
Instructions
- Add the cabbage, capsicum, cauliflower to a pan along with some water and boil them for a couple of minutes.
- Heat some oil in another pan and add the oil, bay leaves, and onions.
- Sauté them for about 2 minutes.
- Next, add the tomatoes and cook until they become pulpy.
- Add the boiled vegetables, salt, and pepper.
- Allow the mix to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Serve hot.
8. Spinach Soup
This delectable spinach soup can be an apt option if you are trying to lose weight. You can add potatoes if you wish to make its texture thicker.
Ingredients
- An onion (finely sliced)
- Four pods of garlic (minced)
- A cup of finely chopped baby spinach
- Two cups of vegetable stock
- A pinch of powdered nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lemon juice
- Butter
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a pan and sauté the garlic and onions till they turn golden brown.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and bring it to a boil.
- Add the baby spinach and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Remove from flame and transfer the mix to a blender.
- Puree the mix and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt.
- Add the lemon juice.
- Serve hot.
9. Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup
This easy-to-make soup is sure to charm both kids and adults alike. Remember to add a generous amount of pepper before serving for heightened flavour.
Ingredients
- A cup of mixed vegetables (carrots, French beans, peas, cauliflower)
- Half a cup of sweet corn kernels (steamed)
- An onion (finely chopped)
- Six pods of garlic (peeled and minced)
- Two cups of skimmed milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Butter
- Water, if required
Instructions
- In a pan, heat the butter on medium flame.
- Add the minced garlic and onion.
- Sauté them for 2 minutes or until they turn translucent.
- Next, add the vegetables and cook them for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Pour the milk and let the mix come to a boil.
- Lower the flame and cook until the vegetables become soft.
- Upon cooling, process the cooked vegetables in a blender to get a smooth mix.
- Blend in the sweet corn kernels.
- Heat a pan, and add the mix to it.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper.
- Add water if necessary.
- Serve hot.
10. Minestrone Soup
This Italian soup may sound unfamiliar to you, but the ingredients to make this soup are available easily. This soup is full of veggies and adding dried parsley and crushed garlic in the soup makes it all the more appetising.
Ingredients
- A carrot (finely chopped)
- A zucchini (coarsely chopped)
- A celery stalk (finely sliced)
- Eight French beans (finely chopped)
- One-fourth cup of sweet corn kernels (steamed)
- An onion (finely chopped)
- Three tomatoes (pureed)
- Six pods of garlic (peeled and minced)
- Half a cup of macaroni (cooked)
- A teaspoon of oregano
- A teaspoon of red paprika
- Fresh basil leaves
- Pepper and salt to taste
- Oil
Instructions
- In a pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add crushed garlic and chopped onions and fry them until they become light brown.
- Add all the vegetables except for zucchini.
- Pour adequate water to cover the vegetables and boil the mix for about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Lower the flame and cook the vegetables until they turn tender.
- Blend in the tomato puree, macaroni, and zucchini.
- Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Serve hot.
Making soups a part of your weight loss diet can help you lose weight in a healthy way. Drinking soups can curb your hunger pangs and stop you from reaching out to unhealthy snacks. So, try out these recipes for healthy soups and make them a part of your weight loss diet.
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