The 5 Worst Soups for Weight Loss (and 5 to Try Instead) (2024)

Alanna Nunez

·2 min read

The 5 Worst Soups for Weight Loss (and 5 to Try Instead) (1)

Soup is the ultimate comfort food. But if you're watching your weight, it can also be an unexpected drain on your calorie and fat bank. This doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite cold-weather soup. Just avoid these five soups listed below, and swap them out for the healthier alternatives we've provided:

1. Clam chowder. Anything with the word "chowder" in it is probably going to be high in cream, fat, and calories. Campbell's Chunky New England Clam Chowder tops the list with 230 calories per serving, 13 grams of fat, and 890 milligrams of sodium. Plus each can contains two servings, so if you eat them at the same time, you're up to 1,780 grams of sodium.

2. Potato soup. Potato soup can be healthy, but it's often made with a cream base instead of a broth base, which means that it, like the chowder, can be loaded with calories and saturated fat.

3. Lobster bisque. With an average of 13.1 grams of fat (that's 20 percent of the daily recommended serving), most of it saturated, and 896 grams of sodium, this is a definite diet don't!

4. Chili. Chili's actually not that bad: It often contains a lot of fiber, protein, and vegetables. However, most of the time it's also accompanied by a huge chunk of cornbread on the side. If you're going to have chili, skip the bread, and have a salad instead.

5. Broccoli and cheese soup. Soup using broccoli as a base? Healthy! Dousing that broccoli in cheese? Not so healthy. Most restaurant versions tend to feature a few tiny broccoli florets drowning in a bowl of cheese, so if you see this one on the menu, skip it.

Try one of these instead:

1. Mushroom and barley soup. This low-cal recipe features plenty of vegetables as well as barley to make a hearty meal that will fill you up, not out.

2. Lumberjackie soup. Vegan-friendly and easy to make, this recipe calls for a hodge-podge of vegetables that's packed with antioxidants and minerals. Just throw the ingredients into your crockpot, let it cook, and you're done!

3. Chilled soups. If you can brave the cold and want to try a chilled soup instead of a hot one, try one of these healthy and slimming chilled soups.

4. Chicken, zucchini and potato soup. For the days when you want more than a snack, this flavor-packed soup's sure to please. The chicken and potatoes will help fill you up, while the zucchinis provide a serving of veggies.

5. Homemade tomato soup. Who doesn't like tomato soup on a cold gray day? Skip the canned versions, which are packed with sodium, and go for this healthy homemade version instead.

The 5 Worst Soups for Weight Loss (and 5 to Try Instead) (2024)

FAQs

The 5 Worst Soups for Weight Loss (and 5 to Try Instead)? ›

"Cream-based soups," Sabat explains, "are bad for weight loss because they contain high amounts of fat and calories." These cream-based soups, like cream of mushroom, potato soup, or lobster bisque, she says, add "very little protein to your meal while adding 8 grams of fat, almost 3 of which are saturated." And, lots ...

What are the worst soups for weight loss? ›

"Cream-based soups," Sabat explains, "are bad for weight loss because they contain high amounts of fat and calories." These cream-based soups, like cream of mushroom, potato soup, or lobster bisque, she says, add "very little protein to your meal while adding 8 grams of fat, almost 3 of which are saturated." And, lots ...

What soups are not healthy? ›

The worst soups are the ones that are cream-based or even cheese-based. These start with a heavy dose of fat that can be compared to the amount in a dessert. Whatever the nutritional value of the other ingredients—from clams and lobster to broccoli and mushroom—it's compromised by the decadence of the base.

What soup causes weight loss? ›

The Cabbage Soup Diet is referred to as a rapid weight loss diet. Proponents' anecdotal claims include following the diet for 7 days can lead to weight loss of up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg), which they believe can jump-start a longer-term diet plan.

Which soup is best for weight loss at night? ›

Vegetable soup is one of the best soups that you can incorporate into your meal for weight loss. This soup is versatile and thus you can choose to add the type of vegetable you want. You can enhance the taste by adding Parmesan cheese and black pepper. It's a wholesome meal that you can enjoy in your dinner.

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

Which soup is good to reduce belly fat? ›

5 Best Soups That Will Help To Burn Belly Fat
  • Vegetable soup. Lean protein from chicken combined with a variety of vegetables can make a satisfying and low-calorie soup that can help you feel full and satisfied.
  • Chicken and vegetable soup. ...
  • Black bean soup. ...
  • Lentil soup. ...
  • Tomato soup.
Nov 4, 2023

What soup can I eat everyday to lose weight? ›

17 Best Soup Recipes For Weight Loss
  • Best-Ever Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.
  • Healthy Butternut Squash Soup.
  • Hearty Asian Beef Noodle Soup.
  • Hearty Italian Sausage Soup.
  • Chicken Tortilla Soup.
  • Slow Cooker Cuban Tomato and Black Bean Soup.
  • Slow Cooker Green Chile Pork Soup.
  • Keto-Friendly Avocado Soup.
Feb 2, 2024

What is the best soup to eat everyday? ›

6 delicious and healthy soups
  • 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

Is progresso soup healthy? ›

At 700 milligrams of sodium per serving, this soup accounts for around 30% of the maximum recommended daily value of 2,300 milligrams. Keep in mind there are two servings per can and that the number doubles if a whole can is consumed as a full meal in one sitting. It lacks many essential vitamins and minerals.

What is souping to lose weight after 50? ›

The soup diet isn't just one diet but rather a collection of soup-based eating plans that promise significant weight loss in a short amount of time (usually 5 to 10 days). On some of these diets, you consume nothing but soup, while on others, soup is the foundation of the eating plan, with some foods added.

How much weight can you lose on the 7 day Cabbage Soup Diet? ›

People who follow the diet strictly will likely lose some weight, potentially 10 pounds per week or more. This is because it involves eating so few calories each day. However, in most cases, people quickly regain this lost weight once they return to their regular diet.

What is the Dolly Parton diet? ›

You may have heard of something called the Dolly Parton Diet — which consists of eating cabbage soup (yes, cabbage soup!) as your main meals along with fruit and vegetables. It's also known as the TWA Stewardess Diet and, well, the Cabbage Soup Diet.

What should I drink before bed to lose weight overnight? ›

What can you drink at night to boost weight loss?
  • Low-fat or skim milk.
  • Chamomile tea.
  • Soy protein shakes.
  • Red wine.

Which soup is best before sleep? ›

Miso Soup: The broth based soup often served in Japanese restaurants is also available in 8-ounce instant packs. Miso contains amino acids that can help boost the production of melatonin, a natural hormone that helpsmake you sleepy.

What foods burn fat at night? ›

What food burns fat while you sleep?
  • Citrus fruits – they contain fat-burning nutrients, fibre and vitamin C. ...
  • Legumes – are a protein source, which takes longer to digest and burns more calories in the process plus, makes us feel fuller for longer.
May 10, 2021

What soup can I eat every day to lose weight? ›

17 Best Soup Recipes For Weight Loss
  • Best-Ever Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.
  • Healthy Butternut Squash Soup.
  • Hearty Asian Beef Noodle Soup.
  • Hearty Italian Sausage Soup.
  • Chicken Tortilla Soup.
  • Slow Cooker Cuban Tomato and Black Bean Soup.
  • Slow Cooker Green Chile Pork Soup.
  • Keto-Friendly Avocado Soup.
Feb 2, 2024

What is the most fattening soup? ›

Cream-based soups

She warns against “cream-based soups, like cream of chicken and chowders.” The main issue with these soups when it comes to weight gain is the fact that they can really load in the fattening ingredients. “Usually, these soups are made with heavy cream and butter.

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

Is soup bad for you on a diet? ›

They're good for you.

While some soups can devastate a diet (cream-based varieties can be particularly high in fat and calories), most serve as a great vehicle to meet your daily quota for veggies.

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