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It’s sweater weather. Warm up with a bowl of one of these dietitian-recommended soups that are tasty and blood sugar friendly.
Reviewed by dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, MS, RD
Sweater weather has officially returned. As temperatures drop, we’re looking forward to putting on our favorite knits and cooking up a pot of soup. It’s not only a wonderful option to stay warm; soup can be a healthy addition to your routine. In fact, the right soup recipe can tick all the nutritional boxes and help you keep your blood sugars in check. Many soups are packed with health-boosting ingredients like protein, fiber and antioxidants, while also being low in saturated fat, which is important because heart disease is closely linked to diabetes.
Related: 18 diabetes-friendly lunches that are cheap and delicious
Unfortunately, the cold weather months also coincide with the return of cold and flu season. Luckily, your favorite soup recipe can be the perfect dish to get the essential nutrients your immune system needs to ward off the runny noses. If you haven’t been keeping up with your drink intake with the change of seasons or you’re already feeling under the weather, broth-based soups can help you stay hydrated.
Read on to find out what dietitians recommend for the best soups to stay healthy and hydrated when you have diabetes. Plus, we share helpful tips for choosing the best diabetes-friendly soup options.
The best soups if you have diabetes
1. Lentil soup
If you want to keep your blood sugars in check, lentil soup is a good choice because it’s high in fiber and plant-based protein but lower in saturated fat, says Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCESa Los Angeles-based plant-based and diabetes expert. In fact, a 1-cup serving of cooked lentils provides 18 grams of protein and a whopping 16 grams of fiber. “This nutritional profile makes it nutritious, satisfying and blood sugar friendly,” she says.
Research has shown that lentils are particularly effective in stabilizing blood sugars. One study found that consuming a 4-ounce (110-gram) serving of cooked lentils reduced post-meal blood sugar levels by as much as 20%. Put those dried lentils in the pantry and use them in a Instant Lentil Soup, Red Lentil Soup with Saffron or this Vegan Lentil Soup.
2. Minestrone soup
Minestrone soup makes for a nutritious meal because it’s rich in fiber and packed with vegetables and plant-based protein, says Jessica DeGore, RD, CDCESa registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. These properties make it a solid choice if you want to keep your blood sugars in check.
Additionally, if you’re struggling to meet your non-starchy vegetable goal for the day, adding a cup or bowl of minestrone can help you get there. If you’re concerned about the carbohydrates from the pasta in a traditional minestrone, DeGore suggests choosing whole-grain pasta for extra fiber or swapping pasta for another whole grain. (Farro would be great.) Try one of our favorites minestrone soup recipes like this Vegetable minestrone soup from the slow cooker or Vegan minestrone soup.
3. Chile
For many, fall is synonymous with the return of football season. One of the most popular foods for tailgating at football? Chile. Optimize the nutritional benefits of your favorite chili by adding plenty of chopped vegetables for extra fiber and swapping the beef for chicken or turkey to lower the total saturated fat per bowl. Alyssa Pacheco, RDa registered dietitian and owner of The PCOS Nutritionist, is a fan of white chicken chili. “Thanks to the chicken and beans, it’s packed with protein and fiber to keep blood sugar levels more stable, helping you feel fuller,” she says. Try our Creamy white chili with cream cheese recipe, which uses mashed beans to thicken the chili.
“Plant-based chili is another option that’s packed with fiber, plant-based protein and complex carbohydrates. Without the meat, this chili is often made with more vegetables and beans, making it a hearty and diabetes-friendly choice,” Sheth adds. One of our favorite plant-based chili recipes is this Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beansor try this high protein one Turkey Chile option.
4. Pureed vegetable soup
Do you have vegetables in the refrigerator that need to be used up as quickly as possible? Make it into a pot pureed vegetable soup. From broccoli to tomato or carrot, the possibilities for pureed vegetable soups are endless. These smooth soups are not only easy to make, but they’re also a boon for blood sugar levels because they’re packed with fiber and inflammation-fighting antioxidants. In addition, they also usually contain fewer carbohydrates.
Many vegetable soups are also rich in nutrients that support the immune system, such as vitamins A and C. Get out your immersion blender (or a traditional blender) and make our Roasted Carrot Soup, Cauliflower soup, Tomato soup with puff pastry or Persian-style pumpkin soup.
5. Chicken soup
Chicken soup is a quintessential comfort food. Not only does it provide fun, but chicken soup is also a nutritious option to strengthen your immune system and is also easy to make low-carb. If you want to optimize the protein content in your next pot of chicken soup, Gina Jones, MS, RDN, owner of Gina Jones Nutrition, recommends use bone broth for extra proteins, vitamins and minerals.
There are countless variations of chicken soup, but chicken vegetable soup is Jones’ top soup choice for diabetes. “The protein from the chicken stock and chicken helps with satiety levels and helps regulate blood sugar levels. The non-starchy vegetables (such as carrots, leafy greens and celery) help provide extra nutrients and fiber, which reduces appetite and improves satiety and blood sugar regulation. This week, try one of these soul-nourishing chicken soup recipes: Instant chicken soup with root vegetables and barley or Easy chicken soup with tortilla chips.
How to choose a soup for healthy blood sugar levels
These tips will help you choose the right soup option that supports healthy blood sugar levels (and maybe even meets your hydration goals):
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Consider the ingredients: With diabetes, it can be easy to focus solely on the calorie and carbohydrate content of your food. However, Gore recommends also looking at the soup’s ingredients. “Choosing a soup with a lean protein source (chicken or beans), plenty of vegetables (carrots, onions, greens), and whole-grain carbohydrates (brown rice, quinoa, farro) makes for a well-balanced meal that is diabetes-friendly,” she says.
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Add Fiber: Fiber makes soups richer by slowing digestion, allowing for a more gradual absorption of glucose. The nutrient also supports a healthier gut microbiome, a key player in immune health. Choose soup recipes with lots of vegetables or legumes. If you start with canned soup, increase the fiber content by adding more vegetables or beans while heating.
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Check the sodium again: Whether you look for a canned variety in the store or order from a fast food restaurantsoups can contain quite a lot of sodium. Whenever possible, choose canned soups labeled “low sodium” or “no salt added.” For homemade soups, use a low-sodium stock and limit the amount of salt you add while cooking. If a lower sodium option is not available, adjust your sodium intake at other meals during the day.
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Low in saturated fat: “Select soups lower in saturated fat to support heart health, which is also important for people with diabetes,” says Sheth. Broth-based soups generally contain less saturated fat than cream-based soups.
The bottom line
Embrace the cooler weather and cook a pot of soup. While it may seem like a simple dish, soup is a multitasker when it comes to supporting your health goals, like staying hydrated, eating more vegetables and reaching the recommended daily fiber goal. Soup can be rich in protein and fiber while containing fewer carbohydrates and saturated fats, all of which help support diabetes management. Not only that, many soups provide immune-supporting nutrients like vitamins A and C, zinc and iron, key to warding off viruses in cold weather. Time to get out the storage jar!