Canned soup is a staple in many people’s meals. They’re convenient, tasty, and everywhere. It’s not a surprise they’re so popular. These soups can subdue your hunger in minutes. But, is canned soup healthy.
The answer might surprise you. Even WebMD recommends them to control your appetite. But that doesn’t mean they’re healthy.
Or, are they? Canned soup isn’t too different from its homemade counterpart. That’s not to say they’re ideal, but maybe we’re too harsh with them.
Should you worry about canned soup being healthy?
Soups are many people’s go-to meals when they don’t have time or energy. But that doesn’t make them bad. Yes, they’re among the packaged and processed foods. That generates a lot of conflicts.
That doesn’t mean you should avoid them like the plague. As with other foods, you just have to be mindful. That’s true for what you pick and how you eat them. Always make sure you’re keeping an eye on their ingredients.
Follow the same general meal guidelines
The most important tip is to mind your nutrition. That means picking soups with the right ingredients. Typically, you want few ingredients. That’s especially true for synthetic ingredients. Luckily, that’s not too difficult. Beans are a great protein source.
That said, look at their sodium and fat content. Many canned soups are very high in sodium. Creamed soups are particularly loaded with fat.
BPA, or Bisphenol A, is your other concern. Canned soups may contain plastic linings. That could leach the toxic component into your meal.
But, is canned soup healthy when compared to homemade?
Basically, no, it’s not better. In more detail, it depends on the soup you’re buying. For instance, you have to watch your servings. Again, the ingredients and volumes are a primary concern.
Still, you can find vitamins and fiber in these soups. Canned soup with beans is also a decent protein source.
Moreover, you can make a few changes to make canned soup healthy.
You can make canned soup healthy
Canned soup’s convenience isn’t debatable. You won’t make soup in a few minutes like you can with canned products. So, it’s in our best interests to add a bit of “health” to our canned meals.
For instance, you can find products with low sodium and fat. Organic soups aren’t hard to find. Sticking to them is a great idea. You can also find BPA-free canned soups.
Moreover, you can add spices and vegetables to boost your soup’s nutritional value. It also helps to improve your low-sodium soup’s flavor.
Making your soup is still always the best call
Still, making your soup is ideal. Canned soup may be healthy. But, you can control your meals and recipes. It’s also less expensive than buying a bunch of canned soups.
The main obstacle would be convenience.
You can offset that by making large batches of soup. You’re then free to freeze portions for later. That way, you can sacrifice a couple of hours in one day. The result is many quick meals since you can merely heat your frozen soup.
How can you find or make canned soup healthy?
Appropriately, Healthy Food has a bunch of tips to make your canned soup healthier. Let’s summarize their 7 guidelines below:
- Focus on vegetable soups with lots of fiber. Add extra fiber if necessary.
- Stick to products with protein. If you can’t do that, add some chicken or legumes.
- Keep your soup’s sodium levels at a minimum. Ideally, look for less than 700 mg per serving.
- Avoid dried soup since their sachets tend to have lots of salt.
- Fresh soups are ideal if you can find them. Just try not to buy creamed soup.
- Shelf-stable pouches are a good choice as well. Just follow the same tips we’ve given.
- Finally, check your soup’s serving size. You might overeat in most cases if you have a whole can.
The holistic takeaway
Canned soup is a solid quick fix if you have little time. However, that’s not to say canned soup is healthy. It can be, but you need to pay attention. Avoid high fat and salt, as well as BPA content.
Of course, the other option is making it yourself. If you know my content, that’s my recommendation.
That’s why I recommend the 14-Day Rapid Soup Diet. It offers more than weight-loss claims. It’s filled with amazing recipes for all tastes. They’re also quite easy to make.
If you want to learn more, check out my review!
0 Comments