Nutritionist Margaret Lage has stated that soup can serve as a complete meal provided it contains balanced ingredients, speaking in an interview with publication Terra.
Lage explained that a healthy soup must have a balanced composition to properly nourish the body. She stated that an ideal preparation should include a source of protein, a variety of vegetables, and quality carbohydrates. According to Lage, this combination provides energy, promotes satiety, and contributes to complete nutrition.
In dietary science, a complete meal is defined as one that delivers a mix of macronutrients to sustain metabolic processes and prevent rapid spikes in hunger. Protein helps preserve muscle tissue and extends satiety, while quality carbohydrates provide a steady release of glucose for physical and cognitive tasks. Incorporating a wide variety of vegetables adds necessary dietary fiber, vitamins, and essential minerals to the daily diet.
Recommended ingredients for a balanced soup
For the base of the soup, Lage recommended selecting pumpkin, carrots, parsnips, or zucchini.
To supply protein, she advised adding chicken, lean meat, eggs, beans, lentils, or chickpeas. Lage added that quality pasta and root vegetables also serve as beneficial ingredients to complete the dish.
Culinary bases made from squash and root vegetables, such as pumpkin, carrots, and parsnips, provide natural carbohydrates along with dietary fiber and carotenoids. Combining these vegetable bases with lean animal proteins like chicken or plant-based proteins like lentils and chickpeas creates a complete amino acid profile. Nutritionists frequently suggest pairing legumes with root vegetables or pasta to enhance nutrient absorption and overall meal quality.
Previous health warnings on rich broths
The debate surrounding soup healthiness follows earlier advice from biologist Irina Lyalina regarding traditional heavy soups. Lyalina previously stated that rich borscht is contraindicated for certain individuals.
Specifically, she urged people suffering from cardiovascular diseases to refrain from consuming rich borscht.
Borscht is a traditional Eastern European soup prepared primarily from beetroots, cabbage, and meat stock. While vegetables like beetroot offer health benefits, concentrated broths made from fatty meats can contain high levels of saturated fats and purines. Clinical cardiology guidelines commonly recommend that patients managing heart conditions limit saturated fats and sodium to maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
