The Benefits Of Soup For The Human Body: Types Of Soups, Recipes For Proper Nutrition

Soups are quite popular in Russia, many of them are our national dishes.

What is the reason for their popularity is difficult to say, but one of them can be considered climate features. Hot soups, characteristic of Russia, are the perfect way to warm up in cold winters and rainy autumns, when you especially want to feel the warmth and warming aroma.

Who is right? Soup is for everyone? Is it really useful all the time? Or are there any specifics? Let's figure it out!

What is soup

According to the culinary dictionary of V.V. Pokhlebkin, soup is a liquid dish (usually the first), common in many countries. A distinctive feature of the soup is, first of all, the fact that the soup includes at least 50% liquid, and secondly (for hot soups), the soup is cooked by boiling, in most cases in water.

If we give a more general definition, then soup is a multi-component dish, which includes liquid and solid parts (garnish).

Each type of soup has its own taste and appearance, which is achieved by the peculiarities of the recipe and the method of preparation.

What are soups

Depending on the evaluation criterion, there are different classifications of soups.

1. There are hot and cold soups according to the serving temperature.

   • Hot soups make up the most extensive group of soups. These include borscht, cabbage soup, pickles, saltwort, soups from vegetables, cereals, pasta and other flour products, legumes and combined soups. The composition of the liquid part of hot soups includes meat, poultry, fish, mushroom broths, milk, vegetable broths.
   • Cold soups are the common name for first courses served cold. The temperature of their serving is 6-12 degrees Celsius. Recipes for making such soups (as well as names) vary from region to region. The most famous are holodnik (cold borscht) and okroshka.

1. According to the technology of preparation:

   • Refueling - the most extensive group of soups in terms of cooking technology. Their distinctive feature is the presence of browned (fried in fat) vegetables. Browned tomato puree is introduced into many soups, and sometimes seasoned with flour browning. It is usually served with finely chopped aromatic herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro, basil, coriander, etc.) and sour cream (except for fish soups). Examples of soups in this group: cabbage soup, borscht, hodgepodge, pickle.
   • Clear soups consist of a side dish and strong, clear broths that are lightened with a draw.

     An example of preparing a pull: grind beef, cut into pieces, in a meat grinder, mix with cold water (1: 2), add salt and let it brew in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Then add egg whites to the bail, mix well, dilute with chilled broth to a liquid state, pour into the main broth that needs to be clarified, mix and slowly heat to a boil. Cook for about 2 hours, during the entire cooking, remove foam and fat from the surface of the broth, maintaining a quiet boil. Ready broth carefully strain, add salt. Examples of clear soups are French onion soup, fish soup, yurma, chowder, danhuatang.

   • Thickened - soups, in the process of cooking thickened by any component: flour (some varieties of cabbage soup, borscht); egg (baked ear); egg-sour dressing (chikhirtma); fermented milk products (brinchoba).
   • Puree soups - soups, during the preparation of which the components of the soup are crushed by rubbing or other grinding. Of these, fats and carbohydrates are easier to digest, they are higher in calories - cream and potatoes are often added to them, and these are additional calories.
   • Roasting - soups, the components of which are first fried, only then filled with liquid, for example, some types of shurpa.
   • Combined - soups characteristic of the Far Eastern cuisine (China, Japan), where the components of the soup are laid directly on the table in the broth.
   • Sweet soups are prepared from fresh, frozen and dried fruits and berries. These include fruit soups, usually served for dessert, and some types of milk soups.

2. According to the liquid used for cooking:

   • On the water (broth) - most dressing soups.
   • On kvass - okroshka and other cold soups.
   • On milk - milk soups.
   • On the brine - pickles.
   • On fermented milk products - okroshka and other cold soups.

3. For the main component:

   Difficult classification of soups, because soup is a multicomponent dish, and this division is always conditional:

   • Meat - all soups on beef broth.
   • Chicken - all kinds of soups on chicken broth.
   • Mushroom - soups on mushroom broth and / or simply with mushrooms.
   • Vegetable - all soups in vegetable broth.

4. By regional distribution

   In each region, the most popular, main types of soups can be distinguished, which are prepared mainly using the same technology. This classification of soups can be endless. Some examples:

   • Soups in Russian (Slavic) cuisine for the most part are hot filling soups, such as cabbage soup, pickle, pea, chicken, as well as cold soups (okroshka), ear.
   • Soups in Western European cuisine are more often clear soups and mashed soups, for example, onion soup, celery root soup.
   • Soups in the Baltic cuisine are often filling (for example, Lithuanian borscht), and dairy.
   • Soups in Central Asian cuisine are fried, cold and hot on a sour-milk basis.

The basis of the soup - broths

The mineral composition of meat broths is quite diverse, it contains potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sulfur, copper, manganese, cobalt, zinc, nickel, etc. Easily digestible iron contained in the protein myoglobin, which causes red color, is of particular value. raw meat.

Extractive substances are a mixture of natural low molecular weight organic substances that are released from the product during heat treatment and pass into the broth during cooking. These substances stimulate the glands of the digestive system, enhance the secretion of gastric juice and contribute to a faster and more complete absorption of meat proteins. It's no surprise that recovering patients are given a cup of chicken broth every day, as it has all the beneficial properties to speed up recovery.

Traditionally, soups are cooked in several types of broths. The classification of soups is already clear, let's move on to broths.

1. Meat broth.

   Cooking principles: the prepared meat is washed, put in a saucepan, poured with hot water and put on fire. After boiling, foam and fat are removed from the surface, onions, parsley roots, celery are laid, then the fire is reduced and the broth is boiled in a quiet boil. Vigorous boiling is not recommended, as this process promotes emulsification and hydrolysis of fat, which gives turbidity to the broth and a greasy taste.

   The readiness of the meat broth is determined by the readiness of the meat. A puncture is made in the meat in the center to the middle of the piece, then the point is removed and pressed near the puncture site with a chef's fork or spatula. If white juice appears at the same time, then the meat is ready. If pink juice appears when pressed, this indicates the need to continue cooking.

   Approximate cooking times for meat in broths: beef 2–2.5 hours, lamb and pork 1.5–2 hours, veal 1–1.5 hours, laying hens 2 hours, broiler chickens 30 minutes, ducks 1 hour, geese 2 hours, turkey meat 1.5 hours.

   The finished meat is removed from the broth, the broth is filtered and used to make soups and sauces.

2. Bone broth.

   Useful properties of bone broths are very extensive. They are nutrient-rich, easy to digest, rich in taste and are considered a superfood due to their composition and beneficial effects on the body. Some of them:

   • contain minerals in forms that are easily absorbed by the body: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and others;
   • help reduce inflammation, arthritis and joint pain;
   • contribute to the healing of the mucosa and the growth of beneficial microflora.

    

   Cooking principles: beef, pork and veal bones are used. Meat bones contain 10–25% fat, up to 15% collagen protein, 20–50% minerals, represented by water-insoluble phosphates and calcium carbonates. The bones are washed in running water, transferred to a saucepan, poured with hot water, heated to a boil, after which the heat is reduced and the broth is boiled at a very quiet boil for 6-24 hours. Starting from the moment of boiling and throughout the entire cooking period, foam and fat are removed from the surface of the broth. An hour before the end of cooking, put onions, parsley roots, celery in the broth. 2–2.5% of soluble substances pass into bone broth. If the dry residue of bone broth is taken as 100%, then the share of extractive substances will be 4%, mineral - 6%, the share of glutin (viscous "glue" of animal origin) - 77, 6% and for emulsified fat - 12.4%. The finished broth is filtered, the bones are disposed of. A glass of this broth contains up to 10 grams of quality protein. The broth can be frozen in portions and used in the preparation of various dishes. For example, porridge.

1. Fish broth.

   Cooking principles: the fish is well washed with cold running water, put in a saucepan, poured with cold water, brought to a boil, after which the heat is reduced, foam and fat are removed from the surface, onions, spicy aromatic roots are laid and the broth is boiled for about an hour at a quiet boil. The finished broth is filtered and used for soups and sauces. Fish broths, depending on the type of fish used, contain extractives from 4%, minerals 11%, glutin and emulsified fat from 48%.

2. Mushroom broth.

   Cooking principles: mushroom broth is cooked from dried porcini mushrooms, which open up and give a unique taste and aroma to the finished product. Broths cooked from champignons and other mushrooms grown indoors have a mild taste and aroma.

   White dried mushrooms are sorted, washed, soaked in a large amount of cold water for 4 hours, boiled in the same water until soft (about 2 hours), discarded, washed and used further according to the recipe. The broth is allowed to stand for 15-20 minutes, after which it is carefully drained from the sediment, while filtering. The finished broth has a light brown color and a pleasant mushroom aroma. Spicy aromatic roots, onions and spices are not added to the mushroom broth.

3. Vegetable broth.

   Cooking option: All vegetables, garlic, lemon, peppers, bay leaves and star anise are placed in a deep thick-walled pan and poured with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Then the pan is removed from the heat, a bouquet of herbs is added and cooled so that the broth absorbs the aroma of spices. The cooled broth can be used immediately, or you can put it in the refrigerator for a day to infuse it. Then strain and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The broth can be frozen in portions - so it will last longer.

   Ingredients for 1 liter of broth: 1 large onion, chopped, 1 small stalk of chopped leek, 3 chopped carrots, 1 head of garlic, cut in half, 1/2 lemon, coarsely chopped, 1 bay leaf, star anise to taste, black peppercorns , allspice-peas, a bouquet of herbs: basil, cilantro, thyme, parsley, 1 liter of water.

What is the use of soup

Properly cooked soup is a balanced set of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals. How useful the soup will be, whether it can be attributed to a healthy diet, depends on the method of preparation and on what products you choose to prepare it.

In our culture, soup is a very popular dish, and most likely, everyone in childhood heard that soup is a must-eat, that it is the head of everything.

Where does this conviction come from?

• the extractive substances of the soup prepare the gastrointestinal tract to receive more difficult food to digest;
• after boiling, proteins are better absorbed, since the structure of protein molecules is partially destroyed and contributes to their better breakdown by enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract;
• soup is great for warming up in the cold season;
• soup helps in restoring fluid balance.

Harm of soups

Everything has its contraindications, and soup is no exception. Depending on the type of soup, not only can it not be beneficial, but it can also harm the condition of a person if he has some kind of disease. For example:

• The first courses increase the production of hydrochloric acid, so people suffering from diseases accompanied by high acidity, gastritis and ulcers should opt for soups cooked in bone broth, but avoid sour cabbage soup and saltwort.
• Soups cooked in fatty, “cool” broth are undesirable for people with duodenal ulcers and peptic ulcers, inflammation of the stomach and cardiovascular diseases.
• Mushrooms, on the one hand, have a high nutritional density and low calorie content, but mushroom soup is not for everyone. It contains a large amount of extractives that stimulate gastric secretion and are not always well tolerated, especially by people with diseases of the stomach and duodenum. In addition, the mushroom protein itself is poorly absorbed and can cause discomfort from the gastrointestinal tract.

   

• Shchi can be an excellent low-calorie diet food, but is not suitable for people who do not tolerate cabbage, reacting to it with flatulence, bloating and pain after eating it.
• Pea soup is a source of minerals (potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine and iron), vitamins (B, A, C, E, PP) and vegetable protein necessary for muscle tissue. Indigestible dietary fiber in its composition improves intestinal motility and is even useful for the prevention of gastrointestinal diseases. But along with useful properties, it has many contraindications. At least - individual intolerance and allergy to peas. Also, pea soup is contraindicated for people with constipation and hemorrhoids.
• The classic hodgepodge is a soup that is not recommended for heart patients, hypertensive patients and obese people, and even for absolutely healthy people. The main reasons are high fat content and a large amount of saturated fat, processed meat products in the composition of the soup. Lemon, capers and pickles added to the hodgepodge are contraindicated for people with gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer and pancreatic diseases. Due to its aggressive composition, such a soup is contraindicated for people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
• Excessive consumption of foods rich in purines increases the risk of urate stones, so soups with meat broths are not recommended for urolithiasis, due to the high content of purines. In this case, it is better to give preference to soups on fish, vegetable or bone broth.

Myths about soups

1. Is it true that there are no vitamins left in the soup? This statement can be called a semi-myth. Heat treatment, numerous boils to which the ingredients of the soup are subjected, reduce the amount of useful substances. And some vitamins, indeed, can be "lost", while the content of others, on the contrary, only increases. For example, vitamin C will disappear from carrots when cooked. But beta-carotene is better absorbed from boiled carrots. And the most valuable part of the soup - the broth, rich in mineral and extractive substances, formed just during the cooking of the soup, does not disappear anywhere, but is eaten. An example of a nutrient-dense soup is soup cooked in long-boiled bone broth.

1. Is it true that the first courses dilute the gastric juice and reduce the concentration of digestive enzymes, impairing the absorption of food? To answer this question, you need to understand the structure and structure of the stomach. Its work is arranged in such a way that the liquid leaves it immediately, and solid food remains and is ground into a liquid slurry (chyme) with particles 1-1.2 mm in size - larger ones do not go further into the duodenum. And all this time, the necessary amount of gastric juice with acid is secreted. Accordingly, the soup does not affect the level of digestive enzymes and gastric juice necessary for the digestion of food.

2. Is it true that any soup is a dietary product that promotes weight loss? It all depends on what the soup is made of and how much you ate. For example, vegetable soup with low-fat chicken broth can be classified as a dietary meal that does not contribute to excess calorie intake. A "diet" cream soup, cooked with cream, butter and fatty croutons - most likely will not help you achieve your goal if you want to lose weight. Firstly, these are not useful, and secondly, in order for all the stages of digestion to go through correctly and the nutrients to be absorbed, even mashed soups need to be chewed so that saliva does its job and prepares food for further digestion.

How to cook soup tasty and keep its useful properties

• cook soups on the second broth;
• remove fat and foam that form during the cooking of the broth;
• salt as soon as the water starts to boil;
• use spices and various herbs;
• cook on low heat;
• try to ensure that the size of vegetables and other ingredients is such that the product does not have to be divided into parts with a spoon in a plate;
• in order not to oversalt or make the soup too bland, follow the formula: for 1000 g of soup, salt 6-10 g, black peppercorns and allspice 1 g, bay leaf a few leaves;
• put prepared products in boiling broth, starting with hard-to-digest ones;
• Maintain a steady, gentle simmer throughout the cooking process. To do this, lay the next product only after the boil is restored;
• add acidic foods last, as some vegetables do not soften well in an acidic environment.

When to Eat Soup

In what cases is it better to choose soup:

1. If the work is associated with high energy costs, then lunch must necessarily consist of two dishes: soup and salad.

2. In a weakened state or with exacerbation of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, it is better to choose soup because of its easier digestion. Make sure that the soup is not greasy and does not work "against" you.

Don't overeat anything, and soup is no exception. If you don't love him, then you don't have to torture yourself. And vice versa, if soup is your favorite dish, then eat it with pleasure, preparing yourself the right soups that take into account your individual characteristics and body needs.

Healthy Soup Recipes

Borscht belongs to the dishes of Russian national cuisine. The most important component of borscht is beetroot, as a result of which it has a bright red color and a pleasant sweet and sour taste. Borscht is cooked in meat broths and vegetable (vegetarian) broths.

Cooking option: After preparation (washing and cleaning), the roots of beets, carrots, parsley, celery, onions are cut, stewed with water in a saucepan under a tightly closed lid, mixed occasionally. After 15–20 minutes, add vinegar, tomato puree, broth and simmer for about an hour until the vegetables are completely softened. Shredded white cabbage is put into a boiling broth in a separate pan, boiled until it softens, after which stewed vegetables are put into the broth. After boiling, add spices, salt, boil. Served with chopped herbs and sour cream.

If sauerkraut is used, it is not washed, but only freed from freely flowing brine. Then, if necessary, they are crushed with a knife and stewed until soft with the addition of broth and onions, and they are put into borscht at the end of cooking along with the separated brine.

So that borscht does not harm and does not leave behind heaviness - choose lean meat for the broth or cook vegetable broth.

Shchi is a very popular dish of Russian national cuisine. Some varieties of late-ripening cabbage withstand long-term storage, which allows cabbage soup to be prepared all year round from harvest to harvest.

Cooking option: After preparation (washing and cleaning), cabbage, turnips, carrots, parsley, celery, onions are washed, peeled, cut. Onions and root vegetables are stewed with water under the lid. Cabbage is placed in the boiling broth, after boiling - turnips, stewed roots, leeks, greens and boiled until the cabbage is completely softened. Then add fresh tomatoes, blanched with boiling water, peeled and cut into pieces. At the end of cooking, salt, spices, sweet peppers are put in the cabbage soup. Served with herbs and sour cream.

If you choose lean meat, bone or vegetable broth, the soup will bring more benefits.

Cooking option: Prepare vegetables - white cabbage, potatoes, carrots, eggplants, tomatoes, parsley, peel, wash, cut. Onions with carrots and parsley are stewed separately with a little GHI oil and water. Cabbage is placed in boiling water, after boiling again - potatoes and eggplant, then vegetables stewed in advance are added. Boil the soup until the potatoes are ready, lay the leeks, greens, fresh tomatoes, boil for several minutes. Served with herbs and sour cream.

Okroshka is a popular dish of Russian national cuisine. The liquid base of okroshka is bread kvass.

Preparation option: Fresh cucumbers are washed, peeled, chopped in the form of straws or thin slices. Green onions are cleaned, dill is sorted out, cleaned. The greens are finely chopped. Bread kvass is seasoned with salt and table mustard. Crushed cucumbers and greens, slices of hard-boiled eggs are placed in a soup bowl, poured with seasoned chilled kvass, chopped dill and sour cream are added.

Prepared and chopped beets are stewed with the addition of vinegar, carrots are stewed until tender. Combine beets and carrots, add water, bring to a boil, cool. When serving, put chopped fresh cucumbers, green onions, egg slices, pour a liquid base containing beets and carrots, add dill and sour cream.

Zucchini is cut and stewed with finely chopped onion and garlic in a frying pan greased with melted butter (or with the addition of water). After the vegetables become soft, beat them with a blender, add water, coconut milk, beat again, pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil. This option can be safely called “diet puree soup”.

You can use pumpkin seeds for serving.

Conclusions:

1. Soup is a multicomponent dish, the main part of which is liquid.

2. Classification of soups is possible according to different criteria, soups can have a different set of nutrients and have different effects on the body.

3. The broth is the base of the soup. From what broth the soup is prepared, depends on its taste, useful properties and whether it is right for you.

4. Soups can be beneficial or they can be harmful. When choosing products and recipes for making soups, you should always rely on the state of health and the needs of the body.

5. Not all soup myths are true.

6. “Diet puree soup” is not a statement about every soup.

7. Soup must be eaten every day only if recommended by a doctor. In other cases, you need to rely on your preferences and needs.

8. Soup does not always belong to dietary dishes, just as it does not always benefit.

9. Knowing the life hacks for cooking soups, you can cook a tasty and healthy dish that meets the principles of proper nutrition, with a rich composition of tastes, aromas and textures.

10. Vegetables as the basis of the diet is one of the principles of proper nutrition. Soup is a great way to enrich your diet with vegetables. Experiment!