The Worst Things to Put in Your Soup (2024)

By Sara Butler

If there’s one good thing about fall and winter, it’s soup. It tastes good, it’s warming, and it’s soothing -- what’s not to love? Well, it turns out there are several things in soup not to love. Many soups can be full of saturated fat, sodium, and MSG. Yes, some soups can be soothing but not great for your overall health and wellness. Here are some of the worst soup ingredients that you should avoid.

Heavy Cream

Heavy cream creates an inviting texture for soups but that’s where its positive contributions end. Soups that are cream based are often full of fat and calories. It’s best to choose soups and recipes for soups you make at home that have broth as a base. Just make sure to keep an eye on the sodium!

Juice

You may not think of juice as an ingredient for soup, but there are plenty of soups that use fruit juices to raise their flavor profiles. Fruit juice is often full of sugar and calories, so it’s not a great addition to the soup.

Turkey Bacon

Bacon makes a soup taste good -- there’s really no denying it. But if you think you’re helping to make a soup healthier by using turkey bacon instead of regular bacon, then you might want to rethink it. Turkey bacon, while lower in saturated fat and calories, has a lot more sodium. If you have high blood pressure, then that’s a no-no. You’re actually better off with regular bacon in this case because it has monounsaturated fats as well as more protein than turkey bacon. Just be careful how much you add -- you don’t want to pig out.

Cheese

Most soups already tip the scales when it comes to fat and salt but adding cheese will only make that worse. Cheese-based soups are definitely not good for your health since a small bowl can have more than its fair share of fat and calories.

Croutons

Sometimes it’s nice to add a little crunch to your soup in the form of croutons, but it’s probably not a good idea. Croutons usually lack any fiber or whole grains and only add calories to your soup. Plus, they’re high in sodium. So, skip the crouton and have a slice of homemade whole grain bread with your soup instead.

Soup can be a healthy and satisfying meal as long as you steer clear of the pitfalls!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Memphis, Tenn.

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The Worst Things to Put in Your Soup (2024)

FAQs

The Worst Things to Put in Your Soup? ›

Women are twice as likely to order soup for lunch as men. Americans eat more than 10 billion bowls of soup each year. How about the hippo variety? The earliest archaeological evidence for the consumption of soup dates back to 6000 BC, and it was hippopotamus soup.

What are the most unhealthy soups? ›

Just avoid these five soups listed below, and swap them out for the healthier alternatives we've provided:
  • Lobster bisque. ...
  • Chili. ...
  • Broccoli and cheese soup. ...
  • Mushroom and barley soup. ...
  • Lumberjackie soup. ...
  • Chilled soups. ...
  • Chicken, zucchini and potato soup. ...
  • Homemade tomato soup. Who doesn't like tomato soup on a cold gray day?
Jan 12, 2012

What are some weird facts about soup? ›

Women are twice as likely to order soup for lunch as men. Americans eat more than 10 billion bowls of soup each year. How about the hippo variety? The earliest archaeological evidence for the consumption of soup dates back to 6000 BC, and it was hippopotamus soup.

What mistakes do cooks do when cooking soup? ›

Common Mistakes Everyone Makes With Soup
  • Failing to thicken it properly. Marian Curko/Shutterstock. ...
  • Forgetting to add an acidic component. ...
  • Sticking to salt and pepper. ...
  • Overcooking your vegetables. ...
  • Forgetting to garnish. ...
  • Adding your aromatics too late. ...
  • Forgetting to caramelize your onions. ...
  • Adding grains too early.
Mar 24, 2023

How to tell when soup is bad? ›

Check the texture: If the soup has become slimy or has a strange texture, it's a sign that it's gone bad. Taste a small amount: If you're still not sure, you can taste a small amount of the soup. If it tastes off or has a strange flavor, it's best to err on the side of caution and throw it out.

What makes soup unhealthy? ›

Along with a high saturated fat content, soup can come with an overload of sodium, as well. The American Heart Association recommends the average person consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, but an ordinary can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup already has 890 milligrams of sodium per serving.

What is the No 1 soup in the world? ›

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

Is soup healthy yes or no? ›

Usually, yes! Soup can be filling, low calorie, nutrient-dense, and supportive of your immune system and weight loss journey. Maximize the benefits by avoiding soups that are full of salt, sugar, or cream. Look for soups brimming with vegetables and sources of filling protein and healthy fat instead.

Why do Chinese eat so much soup? ›

Sweet soups such as tong sui are enjoyed for their aroma, mouthfeel, and aftertaste. Many soups are eaten and drunk as much for their flavour as for their health benefits and touted for their purported revitalizing or invigorating effects.

What is the secret to soup? ›

7 Tips for Successful Soup Making
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. It is worth investing in a heavy pot with a thick bottom to use for making soup. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

What not to put in soup? ›

The Worst Things to Put in Your Soup
  1. By Sara Butler. If there's one good thing about fall and winter, it's soup. ...
  2. Heavy Cream. Heavy cream creates an inviting texture for soups but that's where its positive contributions end. ...
  3. Juice. ...
  4. Turkey Bacon. ...
  5. Cheese. ...
  6. Croutons.

Why add tomatoes to soup? ›

The acid in tomatoes can keep beans and vegetables crunchy.

How to give soup more flavor? ›

Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.

Is 5 day old soup ok to eat? ›

For best safety and quality, plan to eat refrigerated soup within 3 to 4 days or freeze it. And avoid letting soup set at room temperature for more than TWO hours.

What causes soup to go sour? ›

Most likely you put the soup in the refrigerator while it was still warm. A covered pot of warm soup will take many hours to cool to 40 degrees, the point where bacterial growth practically stops. It only takes four hours for bacteria to grow to a point where food will sour if held at a temperature above 40 degrees.

Why is my soup foaming? ›

When liquids like chicken stock or bone broth are just about to boil, the proteins in the animal products start to congeal. This creates foam that rises to the surface. It can appear when boiling meat-based liquids like pork bones, beef knuckles or marrow bones, and chicken carcasses.

What is the healthiest soup you can eat? ›

These healthy soup recipes are packed full of goodness but they also pack a punch when it comes to flavour.
  • Chicken Vietnamese Pho.
  • Green spring minestrone.
  • Herb and yoghurt-based soup.
  • Lamb shank and barley soup.
  • Pumpkin soup with star croutons.
  • Lentil and vegetable soup with crusty bread.
Apr 26, 2020

Are all canned soups unhealthy? ›

While canned soups can be a convenient meal option, it's important to be mindful of their nutritional aspects. Making healthier choices by selecting low-sodium, low-fat, and organic options, adding fresh or frozen vegetables, and opting for BPA-free cans can enhance the nutritional quality of canned soups.

Are supermarket soups unhealthy? ›

Canned soups can provide a convenient desk drawer or pantry choice as they do not require refrigeration — but they can also be high in sodium. Plus, large 'man-style' cans of soups are usually meant to be shared between at least two people, so it's easy to consume excess salt and kilojoules without realising.

Is it unhealthy to just eat soup? ›

What Experts Say. "The concept of eating soup to lose weight has spanned decades, but experts say an all-soup diet lacks nutrients and is not sustainable. They do agree it can be smart to eat vegetable-packed soups for some meals, though, as these are filling, nutrient-dense, and low in calories."

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