Move over, bacon and eggs! It’s time to consider having soup for breakfast. That’s right, soup and bone broth have been finding their way to the breakfast table of late, a perfect antidote to chilly morning temperatures.
While soup in the morning might sound strange, millions of people worldwide already start their mornings with a brothy concoction, especially in Asia where congee, a rice porridge, is a breakfast staple. There’s also: pho (beef noodle soup) in Vietnam, mohinga (catfish soup) in Myanmar and miso soup in Japan.
THE ARGUMENT FOR SOUP FOR BREAKFAST
Here are a few reasons to try soup for breakfast:
The right kind of soup is just as filling as a full meal, but it can be lighter in calories and higher in nutrients and other benefits than cereal. Soup consumption is also said to increase satiety, so you feel fuller for a longer period of time, helping stave off the urge to snack between meals.
A 2014 study found that those who consumed soup tend to weigh less and have smaller waist circumferences than non-soup eaters. The same study showed those who ate soup also tended to have a better quality diet overall.
It’s common to turn to something sweet in the morning, but soup can be an easy way to increase your intake of vegetables instead. Soup for breakfast is just one more opportunity to eat an extra serving or two of your favorite vegetables instead of indulging in donuts or a sugary caramel latte.
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RECOMMENDED SOUP RECIPES
If you’re ready to try this comforting and nourishing take on breakfast, here are some soup recipes to get you started:
This rich combination of chicken, corn, black beans and tomato makes for a comforting meal that keeps hunger at bay for hours. Change the variety of vegetables according to season to reap maximum flavor and nutritional benefits.
Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
You can roast your own red bell peppers for this colorful, cozy soup or simply use pre-roasted peppers to whip this up in 30 minutes. Sometimes called capsicum, they carry plenty of vitamin C (more than 200% of your RDA), fiber and antioxidants.
A major source of plant-based protein, lentils also contain folate and magnesium, two minerals that are key for boosting heart health. This simple recipe includes carrots, tomatoes, flavorful cumin and coriander.
Raspberry-Blueberry Gazpacho with Fresh Mint
Berries are no stranger to the breakfast table, usually as a topper for oatmeal or pancakes. Enjoy this soup hot or cold, and swap the frozen yogurt for a dollop of your favorite Greek yogurt for the morning.
Just like its name suggests, this soup features all the fixings of a fully loaded baked potato, with the addition of cauliflower to keep it a little lighter. Broccoli adds folic acid and vitamins K and C.
