Soup is a very flexible dish and well-placed to deliver on the growing health options required by each individual. It can be served as a starter, as a light bite, or as part of a meal deal, e.g. soup and sandwich at an all-in-one price.
Nearly all national cuisines around the world included some form of soup:
- British, e.g. cream of watercress, leek and potato, Highland vegetable.
- Continental, e.g. beef goulash, red pepper and tomato, French onion.
- Russian, e.g. borscht
- Oriental, e.g. Thai vegetable, won-ton
- African, e.g. Moroccan chickpea.
Dehydrated soup has been on the market for decades. It is still the mainstay for many caterers, especially those preparing food on a large scale, for example in a hospital or staff catering. Powder technology has improved greatly over time and the dried product of today is very different from the dried product of 10 years ago.
Food manufacturers have developed a choice of formats for chefs in response to changing market trends. Soups are now available dry, in powder and roux technology granules, liquid ambient (room temperature), chilled and frozen. They are packed in cartons, poly-bottled, or pouch packs.
One pack may contain enough for just one person or a larger quantity such as 25 servings. Increasingly, there is a move to a single serve, which addresses wastage and portion control problems.
Convenience soup is prepared according to the instructions on the pack and enhanced to offer a chef’s own touch, for example with:
- Finely chopped vegetables.
- A swirl of cream
- Croutons
- Herbs.
- Flavored oil.
Here are the top reasons why you should eat soup:
| Benefits | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Soup is easy to prepare and very delicious. | Soup can be a comfort food as it is delicious. It is easy to make. With only a few ingredients, one can make a bowl of hearty soup for a cold evening. |
| Soup is good for health. | Perhaps the easiest way to add vegetables to your daily meals is to make and eat soup. You can make several bowls of soup filled with fruits and veggies each day and you'll be filled. Eating vegetables is part of a healthy diet so veggie soups are highly recommended. The American Heart Association recommends adults consume eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. That's 4 ½ cups. Soups can contribute to that total. Almost any vegetable lends itself to use in soup, from creamy squash or tomato bisques to vegetable beef or chicken vegetable soup. Add fresh or frozen vegetables to canned soups to increase the servings of vegetables and add flavor. |
| Soup can help you lose weight. | Soups are slimming. Of course, that is if you strictly follow a weight-loss plan and exercise more. Most soups, if made with lean meat, are low in fat, making them a good choice for anyone concerned about fat in his diet. Use fat-free broths and lean meat to reduce the fat content of soups. A bowl of soup packs minimal calorie but is very nutritious. |
| Soup is affordable to make. | Making soup won't require a lot of money. Go the grocery or market; buy some vegetables and fruits, broth or water, and you can easily make a batch enough to feed the entire family. For a small cost, you can make a lot of people feel full and healthy. |
| Soup can make you feel better. | Ever wondered by chicken soup is always given to the sick? It is because soup is great for people who are sick. It is easily digested and is filled with health benefits. |
| Soup makes you feel full. | Soup fills you up because soup contains so much water it fills you up with fewer calories thus stretching up the stomach. Research conducted by Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., cleared showed that you easily feel full so it's ideal to eat soup at the beginning of every meal. Rolls is the author of the book, The Volumetric Weight-Control Plan, in which she explains how eating soup and other high-volume, low-calorie foods can help you lose weight. |
| Nutritious | Soups made with beans and lean meats such as fish provide lean protein. Beans also give you fiber. Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risk of cancer, particularly prostate cancer, according to Penn State University. Vegetables in Soup contain many vitamins, such as A and C. Cream soups supply calcium and vitamin D. |