Healthy Soups and Cream Soups: Ideas for Light Lunches and Benefits for Digestion

Soups are an integral part of many world cuisines. They not only warm you up during the cold season, but also bring great benefits to the body. Light soups and cream soups are perfect for lunch: they satiate you without overburdening the digestive system. In this article, we will look at ideas for tasty and healthy soups, and also discuss why hot food is so beneficial for our digestion.

1. Ideas for light soups for lunch

1.1 Pumpkin Cream Soup 

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin — 500 g
• Onion — 1 pc.
• Carrot — 1 pc.
• Garlic — 2 cloves
• Vegetable broth or water — 1 l
• Cream (optional) — 100 ml
• Olive oil — 2 tbsp.
• Salt, pepper, spices — to taste

Preparation:

1. Cut pumpkin, onion, carrot, and garlic into random pieces.
2. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent.
3. Add carrot and pumpkin and sauté for a few more minutes.
4. Pour the vegetables with broth or water, bring to boil and cook until pumpkin is tender.
5. Puree the soup with a blender until creamy.
6. Add cream and spices, heat through but do not bring to boil.

Benefit:

Pumpkin is rich in vitamins A and E, and antioxidants that support vision and immunity.

If you want to add the recipe to your recipe list, follow the link: Pumpkin Cream Soup.

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1.2 Pea Puree Soup

Ingredients:

• Dried split peas — 200 g
• Onion — 1 pc.
• Carrot — 1 pc.
• Potato — 2 pcs.
• Garlic — 2 cloves
• Water or broth — 1.5 l
• Bay leaf — 2 pcs.
• Salt, pepper — to taste

Preparation:

1. Rinse the peas and soak for several hours or overnight.
2. In a large pot, combine peas, water, and bay leaf. Bring to boil and simmer on low heat.
3. Add chopped potato, onion, carrot, and garlic.
4. Cook until all ingredients are soft.
5. Remove bay leaf and puree the soup with a blender.
6. Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper.

Benefit:

Peas are a source of plant protein and fiber, promote satiety and improve bowel function.

If you want to add the recipe to your recipe list, follow the link: Pea Puree Soup.

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1.3 Tomato Soup with Basil

Ingredients:

• Fresh or canned tomatoes in juice — 1 kg
• Onion — 1 pc.
• Garlic — 3 cloves
• Vegetable broth — 500 ml
• Olive oil — 2 tbsp.
• Fresh basil — a bunch
• Salt, pepper, sugar — to taste

Preparation:

1. Sauté chopped onion and garlic to golden color.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and stew for 10 minutes.
3. Pour in broth, add half the basil, and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Puree the soup with a blender until smooth.
5. Add spices and a pinch of sugar to balance acidity.
6. Serve garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Benefit:

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene — an antioxidant that reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

If you want to add the recipe to your recipe list, follow the link: Tomato Soup with Basil.

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1.4 Broccoli Cream Soup

Ingredients:

• Broccoli — 500 g
• Potato — 2 pcs.
• Leek (or regular onion) — 1 pc.
• Garlic — 2 cloves
• Vegetable broth — 1 l
• Cream or milk — 100 ml (optional)
• Olive oil — 2 tbsp.
• Salt, pepper, nutmeg — to taste

Preparation:

1. Chop leek and garlic, sauté in a pot with olive oil until soft.
2. Add diced potato, sauté for a few minutes.
3. Pour in broth, bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add broccoli florets and cook another 5-7 minutes until soft.
5. Puree soup with a blender until smooth.
6. Add cream or milk, spices; heat without bringing to boil.

Benefit:

Broccoli is a source of vitamins C and K, folic acid, has antioxidant properties and supports immunity.

If you want to add the recipe to your recipe list, follow the link: Broccoli Cream Soup.

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1.5 Carrot Cream Soup with Ginger

Ingredients:

• Carrot — 500 g
• Onion — 1 pc.
• Potato — 1 pc.
• Fresh ginger (grated) — 1 tbsp.
• Garlic — 2 cloves
• Vegetable broth — 1 l
• Olive oil — 2 tbsp.
• Coconut or regular cream — 100 ml (optional)
• Salt, pepper, curry — to taste

Preparation:

1. Chop onion and garlic, sauté in olive oil until translucent.
2. Add grated ginger and sauté for another minute.
3. Add chopped carrot and potato, stew for 5 minutes.
4. Pour in broth, bring to boil and cook until vegetables are soft.
5. Puree the soup with a blender until creamy.
6. Add cream and spices, heat through.

Benefit:

Carrot is rich in beta-carotene, good for eyesight and skin. Ginger improves digestion and has anti-inflammatory properties.

If you want to add the recipe to your recipe list, follow the link: Carrot Cream Soup with Ginger.

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2. The Benefits of Hot Food for Digestion

• Stimulation of digestion: Hot food promotes the dilation of blood vessels in the stomach, improving blood flow and stimulating the production of gastric juice. This makes food digestion easier.

• Better absorption of nutrients: Heat helps activate enzymes involved in breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, which increases the efficiency of absorption.

• Soothing the stomach: Hot soups can calm irritated stomach and intestinal lining and help with colds or throat ailments.

• Body hydration: Soups contain a lot of liquid, which helps maintain water balance. This is especially important in the cold season, when water intake can decrease.

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Light soups and cream soups are the perfect option for lunch, combining health benefits and great taste. They fill the body with essential vitamins and minerals, promote healthy digestion, and simply lift your spirits. Add a variety of soups to your diet, experiment with ingredients, and your body will certainly thank you!

Also read in the SYPB 30 blog

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