Earlier this week, I pointed to the research showing a bevy of health perks provided by soup but in case, you aren’t convinced, here’s yet another study on the advantages offered by eating soup.
In an investigation of Japanese men, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers assessed the impact of regular soup consumption on body mass index (BMI) and waist measures. In the group, which spanned a wide age group- from 24 to 75 years old, those who ate soup the most frequently weight had the lowest waist measures and BMIs.
If you haven’t been persuaded, try your own experiment of eating soup on a regular basis and see how it impacts your waist management efforts.
Here’s a simple recipe to get you started. This is a perfect choice as a pre-party snack. Have a serving and refrigerate or freeze the rest for another day. Or you can turn it into a meal-in-a-bowl by adding strips of chicken and some baked tortilla chips. Diced avocado is also a great garnish for this one-pot meal.
In addition, the combinations contained maximize some of the ingredients’ health benefits. For example, cooked or canned tomatoes contain the red pigment or carotenoid lycopene which acts as an antioxidant. And including a small amount of extra virgin olive oil along with the lycopene has been shown to boost the absorption of this red pigment. The addition of the lime juice and cilantro at the end of cooking boosts the flavour and provides a taste of sunny Mexico!
Corn, Tomato and Lime Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons ( 7mL) extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 – 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
4 cups (1L) low-sodium or homemade chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 cup (175 mL) canned diced tomatoes in juice (no-salt-added preferred)
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) frozen corn kernels (about 10 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon (3 mL) ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons (45 mL) fresh lime juice
Salt, to taste
Hot sauce such as habanero pepper, optional
Instructions:
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat; add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Add jalapeño pepper and sauté another minute. Add broth, tomatoes, corn, cumin and salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lime juice; season soup to taste with salt and hot sauce, if desired. Ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately.
Nutritional information per serving
• Calories: 129
• Protein: 6 grams
• Fat: 4 grams
• Saturated Fat: 1 gram
• Carbohydrate: 21 grams
• Dietary Fibre: 3 grams
• Sodium: 250 milligrams
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© Rosie Schwartz
Enlightened Eater 
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