If chilly fall days have you hankering for a steamy bowl of soup, you’re not alone. Soup is cold-weather comfort food in a bowl. Soups can be quick, easy and nutritious. Plus, they’re budget-friendly.

Here are tips for making healthy soups:

Watch for Sodium

Sodium is an important electrolyte we need to live, but too much can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Low sodium is less than 140 milligrams per serving. The American Heart Association recommends 1500-2000 milligrams of sodium daily.  

Many soups are high in salt, including canned soups. When preparing soup at home, choose herbs and spices, like black pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder or onion powder, to enhance the flavor in place of salt. When selecting canned products, choose “no salt added.”

Select low-sodium vegetable, chicken or beef broth. Watch for broths that say, “reduced sodium,” “lower sodium” or “less sodium.” These products may or may not be low in sodium, so be sure to look at the nutrition facts label.

Nutritious Add-Ins

Add protein to your soups to help you feel full throughout the day and to boost your immunity during fall and winter months. Also, try shredded chicken, ground beef or turkey, lentils, tofu or beans. You can also top your soup with cheese or plain Greek yogurt for additional protein. 

For long-lasting energy, add whole grains as they are packed full of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Some whole-grain options include:

• Brown rice
• Whole wheat pasta
• Barley
• Quinoa
• Whole grain bread

Add any of these vegetables for a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber:

• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Celery
• Corn
• Green beans
• Onion

Tried-and-True Homemade Soup

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound carrots, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and quartered
• 1 inch fresh ginger root
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 oranges, peeled and halved
• ¼ inch orange peel
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot, sauté carrots, onions and ginger in olive oil until soft.
2. Add 2 cups of broth and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
3. Place the oranges, orange peel and cooked vegetable mixture into a high-speed blender and secure the lid.
4. Blend on low and slowly increase power to the highest speed.
5. Blend for 30-45 seconds until smooth.
6. Use the remaining 2 cups of broth to adjust the consistency as you prefer.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Pour into your favorite soup bowls and serve.