Soup season is officially in full swing–and when you’re using healthy ingredients, soup can be a fantastic meal that’s as nutritious as it is delicious (check out some of our favorite recipes!). On the other hand, though, adding the wrong ingredients to the mix can be detrimental to your overall health and weight loss goals. Unfortunately, some of your go-to soup add-ins may be causing inflammation.
When it becomes chronic, inflammation can lead to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune diseases (not to mention unwanted weight gain). And if you’re over 40, all of this can be especially dangerous, as you’re more prone to certain chronic diseases. That’s just one reason why it’s important to be mindful of what you’re putting in your body–and, in turn, what you’re putting in your soup!
To discover some of the worst inflammatory soup ingredients out there, we checked in with Jesse Feder, personal trainer and Registered Dietitian from My Chrons and Colitis Team. He told us that you should leave heavy cream and full-sodium broth out of the pot if you want to keep inflammation to a minimum.
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Heavy cream
Feder tells us that heavy cream is one of the worst soup ingredients for women over 40 because it contains a lot of inflammatory ingredients such as dairy, sugar, and unhealthy fats. As he notes, these ingredients can increase inflammation in the body, which can contribute to a slower metabolism and several unwanted symptoms such as bloating, gas, bad stools, fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and weakened immune system.
"Not to mention the high caloric content heavy cream has," Feder adds. "The high content of fat, calories, and sugar can contribute to increases in body weight, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure." Yikes! Instead, it’s best to replace heavy cream with unsaturated fats, such as olive oil or avocado, to add richness and flavor to your soup. As an added bonus, these unsaturated fats can actually reduce inflammation and help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Full-sodium broth
Full-sodium broth is another ingredient that can contribute to inflammation in the body. "The high salt content in full sodium broth can increase your blood pressure even more, damaging your blood vessels," warns Feder. High blood pressure can cause damage to the arteries and lead to inflammation in the body.
But the health effects of all that salt don’t stop there. It’s also worth noting that a diet high in sodium has been linked to an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Say it ain’t so!
Instead of using full-sodium broth, try using low-sodium broth or making your own broth using vegetables, herbs, and water. This will help you control the amount of sodium in your soup and reduce the risk of high blood pressure and inflammation.
The bottom line
Overall, heavy cream and full-sodium broth are two ingredients you should probably kick to the curb this winter if you want to keep inflammation to a minimum. By replacing these harmful ingredients with unsaturated fats and low-sodium broth, you’ll be able to lead an even healthier life–your body will thank you for it!
