Nothing beats the chilliest of Chicago nights than warming up to a cozy bowl of bubbling, soothing soup. Even if it’s not cold outside, but when you’re fighting a cold, or you’re just simply craving a hearty, comforting meal: Welcome to soup season!

As you prepare for another long winter, stay ahead of the frigid weather and check out some healthy soup options. Even though fast food restaurants and canned products offer countless, fast soup varieties, they are loaded in salt and it’s giving you more than flavor (yuk)! Consuming too much sodium can be unhealthy for people of all ages, however people over the age of 50 are more susceptible to the negative health risks posed by excess sodium. Consequently, salt raises blood pressure, which boosts the risk of heart attacks and strokes. As indicated from multiple sources, individuals over the age of 50 should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams per day which equates to two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt. But cutting back on salt doesn’t mean cutting out the flavor.

The Benefits Of Soup

When soup is done right it is:

• Nutritious
• Inexpensive
• Easy to eat
• Gets tastier with time
• Is filling with less calories
• And you can freeze it for another day.

Did we mention it can help fight congestion, help keep you nourished and even hydrated? Our mantra when making soup is “just add greens,”. It makes it easier to reach your intake of 2 1/2 cups of veggies a day and spinach, a superfood, for example is an extremely nutrient rich vegetable. Spinach has vitamins A, C, E, K, B6, B9, and so on! Your soup can also include foods such as carrots for potassium and vitamin A, barley, a whole grain with niacin, lentils, which have iron, or chicken breast, which provides vitamin B-12.

Remember Bone Broth?

You may have heard some recent buzz about bone broth. It’s actually not a new trend and was very common back in the day. Well, it’s making a comeback and for a good reason – bone broth is a nutrient-rich, healing powerhouse. In case you haven’t heard of it, bone broth is a liquid containing brewed bones and connective tissue.

The following are some of the top benefits of consuming this liquid gold broth:

• Highly nutritious, (rich in vitamins and nutrients including calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous)
• Extraordinary rich in protein, collagen, and amino acids
• It may protect the joints
• It may help fight osteoarthritis
• It may help reduce inflammation
• It may also heal the gut, aid in sleep, and it may support weight loss.

To make bone broth, you can use cow, chicken, and even fish bones found at your local grocery store’s meat department. But not all of us have 8 to 24 hours to commit to simmering up such a fortified stock. Health food stores carry many different options, but there are also supermarket versions like Swanson Chicken Bone Broth that is worth checking out. It’s the least expensive, tastes good and will last in the pantry for up to a year.

Since we can’t control this weather—Soup is on!

Eating a well-balanced diet is an important part of staying healthy as we age. Nutrient rich soups can provide the vital benefits that help you feel energized allowing you to enjoy the golden years of your life. Break out the crock pot and don’t be shy about spicing it up.

Need Some Soup Ideas?

Here are some Healthy and Hearty soup ideas.

Concerned About Getting The Right Nutrition? 

If you have a loved one who lives alone and are concerned that they are not getting the right nutrition, we can help.

Our home meal delivery program (Meals On Wheels) delivers nutritious meals right to their door. In addition to warm meals, they also receive a well-being check to make sure they are doing alright.

For more information on our Home Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels) program or to sign up, please visit our Meals On Wheels page.