Can soup be a complete meal?

Most of us consider soups as appetizers or as the first dish in a series of courses to come. We also relegate soups to sick days, or when the weather is very cold. But did you know soups can be a complete meal by itself?
What does a good and healthy meal constitute of? A meal has to have the perfect blend of carbohydrates, proteins, and fiber, along with the necessary nutrients and vitamins. This translates to the “dal-roti-chaval” or the “roti-subji-dal-raita” meals in the North, and the “idly-sambar” or the “rice-curry-sambar-yoghurt” meals in the South. These meals have the time and tested ingredients – dals, vegetables, wheat/grains, and fresh curd – that is perfect for anyone, at any time of the day.
So how can soups become a complete meal by itself? It can, and it should. As Indians become more obese, and are faced with more options, and bigger serving sizes in restaurants, the need of the hour is to make our meals more simple. And healthy.
Soups are the perfect solution to today’s housewife who has multiple responsibilities inside and outside the home for her family, kids, career, friends and related social activities. Whether you are strapped for time, or need to lose weight, or even maintain a healthy lifestyle, soups are the perfect solution for meal times.
By adding fresh vegetables, herbs and spices, vegetable stock, and basic seasonings like salt & pepper, a healthy, fat free meal is ready for you and your family. Into this mix, if you add dal, or cooked channa or rajma, you end up with a soup that has all the essential ingredients for a complete meal. Toast a couple of slices of wheat bread, cut it up into small bits, and add it to your soup to make it more hearty and healthy.
It is time to change our attitude towards soups. It is time to consider soups as a complete, perfect meal by itself.

Yummy Fruit Soups

Fruit and soups? We kid you not.
Fruit soups are very easy to make, and can be made out of almost any fruit. Apple, oranges, mangoes, pine apples, etc. make very yummy soups. The preparation does not require ovens or other sophisticated kitchen equipments.
For example, to make an apple soup for your toddler, all you need is 2 red apples, sugar to taste and water. Steam the whole apples in a cooker for about 15 minutes. Remove the outer skin and seeds of the steamed apples and mash them. Put the mashed apples, water and sugar in a pan, and boil it for 10 minutes. Your soup is ready. You can also add cinnamon powder to accentuate the taste.
You can make Strawberry Soup with non-fat plain yogurt, two table spoons of orange juice, 1 table spoon of honey, and sliced fresh strawberries. Blend these ingredients in a food processor and serve chilled.
Fruit soups can be enjoyed any time of the year. Depending on the recipe, they can be served hot or cold.
Now take a look at the health benefits of fruit soups:

• Fruit soups are perhaps the best way to ensure that you get your five daily servings of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6,C,E, K, niacin, folate, and pantothenic acid; and minerals like potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, copper and zinc.
• Fruit soups can help lower the risks of many chronic diseases and other ailments. For example, apples have been found to reduce the risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.
• The use of citrus fruits in soups can help maintain the right levels of blood pressure, thanks to the flavonoids in them. They also boost the body’s natural immune system.
• The potassium content of fruits prevents kidney stone and also maintains the health of the bones.
• Folate or Folic Acid is important for the development of red blood cells.

To get more options for healthy soups please join us at http://www.facebook.com/KnorrSoup

Soups that Keep Your Heart in Shape

Studies have found that children who consume junk food and are obese/ overweight are more prone to high cholesterol levels (which eventually lead to cardiovascular diseases) than children of normal weight. The risk is even higher if there is a history of cardiovascular disorders in the family. Experts say that you can reduce your child’s risk of heart diseases by about 80 per cent just by feeding them a “heart-healthy diet.”

What is a heart-healthy diet? Saturated fats and trans fats are extremely bad for the heart, while unsaturated fats (Omega 3 fatty acids, omega 6 fatty acids, and monosaturated fats) are essential for good health. Vegetable oils, soy nuts, almonds, pea nuts, etc. are good sources of ‘healthy fats.’
Choose foods that are high in fibre. These help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, etc. and the soups made from them are great cholesterol-regulators. Use fresh ingredients and limit the use of salt.
Low-calorie-low-salt soups are a great way to feed your child vegetables, legumes, high-fibre whole grains, etc. and at the same time ensure the health of his heart. Soups that are great for the heart include:

• Broccoli soups
• Carrot soups
• Cabbage soups
• Mushroom soups
• Lentil soups
  

At Knorr Soups we understand how important healthy eating habits are for you and your family. That is why we have a wide range of soups that caters to every taste bud in your family. Knorr as a brand has always set out to empower homemakers and enable you to make healthy, wholesome and delicious food options. Create healthy eating habits with Knorr soups. For daily tidbits on healthy eating, and some delicious recipes, connect with us at http://www.facebook.com/KnorrSoup

From Junk Food to PCOS

Did you know that the number of 13 to 16 year old girls with PCOS is increasing at an alarming rate in India? PCOS or Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is a medical condition characterized by irregular or absent periods and is one of the leading causes for female infertility. While genetic factors can lead to PCOS, gynecologists say that 80 per cent of the cases are linked to:
• Junk food and unhealthy diets
• Lack of physical exercise
• Poor sleeping habits
• Excess body weight
• High stress levels
However, if you can regulate your child’s lifestyle, you can lower her risk of PCOS. It is good to introduce your child to de-stressing activities like yoga and pranayama at a young age. Yoga also prevents weight gain. Encourage your child to take part in sports and physical exercises, and ensure that she gets enough sleep every night.
Pay special attention to her diet. It is very important that she avoids fats and fatty foods. Restrict your child’s junk food intake. Restrict her sugar intake too. Instead, feed her a lot of complex carbohydrates and proteins. Add salads and soups to her daily diet.
Soups, high in fiber and nutrients and low in calories and fat, should be included in every girl’s diet. This not only boosts their overall health but also reduces the risk of obesity and PCOS.
Looking for healthy ready-to-eat soups? Try Knorr soups today! These are pre-cooked and ready-to-eat, right from the pouch at room temperature, and can be heated in 5 minutes with a microwave oven or boiling water.

Soups and Obese Child

Is your child obese or overweight? Then chances are that you are ‘up in arms’ to make your child slim. But remember, you cannot expect your child to ‘shed’ weight in one day, nor can you starve him. It is important that your child continues to get the right amount of nutrients necessary for his growth and physical exercise.
Ideally, you should feed your child low-fat, low-calorie and high fibre food items. Soups are low in calories and full of nutrients. In fact, soups alone can satisfy much of your child’s daily nutritional requirements. While cream, butter, and milk added to soups can accentuate the taste, it is best to avoid them for health reasons. Also make sure that you do not add too much salt to the soup.
Soups have also been known to be a ‘filling’ meal. Soups are digested very fast, and the brain immediately gets the message that your stomach is full. Also, the proteins in soup help satisfy hunger. This makes sure that your child does not feel hungry between meals and resort to junk foods.
A study conducted by the Pennsylvania State University (USA) states that, "incorporating low-energy-dense foods like soup, vegetables and fruits into the diet is key to calorie reduction and therefore successful long term weight loss".
So if you haven’t tried soups yet, start exploring their infinite possibilities today itself. Make them an unavoidable component of your child’s daily diet. Get creative, and try a different soup every day. If you don’t know where to start, try the healthy, inexpensive and invigorating Knorr soups. More recipes at http://www.facebook.com/KnorrSoup

Yummy Fruit Soups

Fruit and soups? We kid you not.
Fruit soups are very easy to make, and can be made out of almost any fruit. Apple, oranges, mangoes, pine apples, etc. make very yummy soups. The preparation does not require ovens or other sophisticated kitchen equipments.
For example, to make an apple soup for your toddler, all you need is 2 red apples, sugar to taste and water. Steam the whole apples in a cooker for about 15 minutes. Remove the outer skin and seeds of the steamed apples and mash them. Put the mashed apples, water and sugar in a pan, and boil it for 10 minutes. Your soup is ready. You can also add cinnamon powder to accentuate the taste.
You can make Strawberry Soup with non-fat plain yogurt, two table spoons of orange juice, 1 table spoon of honey, and sliced fresh strawberries. Blend these ingredients in a food processor and serve chilled.
Fruit soups can be enjoyed any time of the year. Depending on the recipe, they can be served hot or cold.
Now take a look at the health benefits of fruit soups:

• Fruit soups are perhaps the best way to ensure that you get your five daily servings of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6,C,E, K, niacin, folate, and pantothenic acid; and minerals like potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, copper and zinc.
• Fruit soups can help lower the risks of many chronic diseases and other ailments. For example, apples have been found to reduce the risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.
• The use of citrus fruits in soups can help maintain the right levels of blood pressure, thanks to the flavonoids in them. They also boost the body’s natural immune system.
• The potassium content of fruits prevents kidney stone and also maintains the health of the bones.
• Folate or Folic Acid is important for the development of red blood cells.

If you have fruit soup recipes of your own, share them with us at http://www.facebook.com/KnorrSoup

Think soup is only for kids? Think again!

Do you think soup is only for disguising healthy vegetables so your kids will have them? If so, read on to find out why soups are not only for kids, but is a highly beneficial food for all ages, seasons, and illnesses.

• Thick soups (especially those that contain pureed vegetables or eggs) can be used as main dishes and are a great way to get more nutrients into your diet.
• Chicken soup is very effective for treating cold and fever. Chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine, which is similar to the drug acetylcystein prescribed for with bronchitis. It thins the mucus in the lungs, making it easier to cough out.
• Carrot soup and potato soup are effective remedies for diarrhoea. These supply water to combat dehydration, replenish sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur and magnesium levels, supply pectin and coat the intestine to allay inflammation. These also check the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria and prevent vomiting. The Vitamin A in carrots also enhances the action of white blood cells.
• Soups made with soy can help lower the risk of breast cancer.
• Onion soup is good for clotting disorders.
• Spinach (palak) soup can prevent anaemia.
• Lentil soup is great for growing children. It also helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They also provide a source of beneficial high fiber for persons with diabetes.
• Mixed vegetable soup with chicken is a complete and nutritious meal.
• Cabbage soups can lower the risk of breast, prostate, colorectal and lung cancers. Cabbage owes its cancer fighting ability to phytochemicals known as glucosinolates, which are metabolized by the human body into their anti carcinogen form known as isothiocyanates
• Cabbage soups also help fight obesity.
• Including broccoli and tomato soup in daily diet lower the risk of prostate cancer in men.
• Tomato soup is great against cancers of the digestive tract, colon and lungs. The natural Lycopene in tomatoes also guards against aging of the skin, diabetes, cardiovascular problems and cataract. Some studies also say that it can prevent osteoporosis.
• Mutton soup is good for amenorrhea and regulating periods.

Knorr soups combine all the soup advantages and are a great way to bring a wide variety of health-promoting vegetables to your table in one simple meal. For speed and convenience, use it straight from the pack. Or get more creative by using it as a stock and adding your own selection of tasty fresh vegetables. For more ideas, connect with us at http://www.facebook.com/KnorrSoup and share your favorite soup recipes with us.