This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.
Finding good meal and recipe ideas are sometimes the most challenging hurdles in a weight loss plan. When you’re dieting, it is important to focus on exercising regularly and making sure your meals are full of protein, vitamins and good fats, and limiting your intake of carbs and sugars.
When you’re at a loss for ideas, soup is always a great type of food to turn towards. There are literally thousands and thousands of soup recipes out there, so it is very easy to have soup every day without making your meals seem repetitive.
Soup is always a good choice when you’re trying to lose weight because more often than not, a soup is high in vegetables, protein, vitamins and minerals, and quite low in carbs - especially if you make your own from scratch rather than use mixes or cans.
But, it is important to keep in mind that some soup recipes are not as good for you as others. You must pay attention to what you are putting into your soup because some ingredients can hinder your weight loss plans.
You should avoid making creamy soup recipes too often if you are trying to lose weight, because adding cream to your soup increases the amount of fat and sugars you take in. If you are making a creamy soup, the worst ingredient you can use is heavy cream.
Heavy cream is made using the parts of milk that contain the most fat. This is what gives the cream its rich, heavy texture and why it is a good thickening ingredient. It is 35-40% fat, so even though it makes your soup taste better, it isn’t the best option when you are on a diet.
Next time your recipe calls for heavy cream, opt for half-and-half or light cream instead as these dairy products are lower-fat alternatives. You can also just use plain milk and add in some cornstarch to make your soup thicker, skipping cream altogether.