If you’re trying to shed some extra pounds you gained during summer vacation, now, with the cooler fall temperatures, is the right time to enjoy healthy light soups made from seasonal vegetables. Loaded with nutrients that benefit the entire body, they’re also a delicious way to warm up during those cool fall evenings. Whether you have a cup serving as a side dish or a whole bowl, as I do, your body will thank you for the healthy and nutritious benefits packed into these colorful orange soups.
Butternut Squash
Not everyone knows that butternut squash is a fruit because of its seed content, but it’s considered and prepared as a vegetable. Including this vegetable as a side dish can aid in weight loss. A high level of antioxidants can help prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. One cup of butternut squash contains 63 calories, 16 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of sugar and is rich in magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin E.
Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup – SoupAddict
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber and antioxidants, which help protect the body from free radical damage and promote a healthy gut and brain. But that’s not all. They can also manage cholesterol levels by lowering your LDL levels and decreasing your chances of getting eye disease. A cup of sweet potato has around 100 calories. They’re also high in fiber, vitamin A, potassium, and copper. You can also make tasty fries or wedges, but mashed or baked sweet potatoes are best if you’re watching your calories.
Sweet Potato Chorizo Soup – SoupAddict
Carrots
A cup of chopped carrots has 52 calories. This non-starchy vegetable is a high source of beta-carotene, which our bodies turn into vitamin A. Vitamin A can strengthen the immune system and maintain healthy vision. Its high vitamin C content has many health benefits for the body. It can help keep you regular, keep your bones strong, and help control type 2 diabetes if you’re trying manage your sugar levels.
Carrot Turmeric Miso Soup – SoupAddict
Pumpkin
Pumpkins don’t just make fun jack-o-lanterns and decorate our windows and front porch; on a spooky Halloween night, they have health benefits as well. Like its family member, butternut squash, they’re also a fruit. But they’re considered vegetables due to their similar nutritional content and the way it’s prepared.
A cup of diced pumpkin has less than 50 calories and is high in fiber, which can help with weight loss. Like the other vegetables, pumpkins help strengthen the immune system, but their zinc content makes them great for the skin. They contain omega-6 fatty acids, maintain a healthy skin tone, help unclog pores, and fight acne.
Thai Pumpkin Soup – SoupAddict
Takeaway- These soups are not only tasty and nutritious, but leftovers can be enjoyed as a healthy lunch on a cool autumn day. I hope you try and enjoy these delicious recipes as much as I do.