Diet & Fitness

By Shawn McKee
Staff Writer


Is there anything better than a hot cup of soup on a cold day or a steaming bowl of chicken noodle when you're feeling sick? The weather is perfect for this week's weight-loss tweak.

When I was growing up, the soup and sandwich combo was a winter staple at our house. It was relatively easy, cheap and delicious. Back then, however, I had no idea how great soup was for keeping excess weight off.

A recent study from Pennsylvania State University reported that eating healthy soups can "fill you up," leading to a decrease in appetite and an increase in weight loss. According to the study, the water in soup leads to greater levels of satiety and, when served before a meal, results in a decrease of more than 20 percent in calories consumed at that meal.

A healthy soup can fill you up and slim you down, but you have to be careful about what types of soup you choose. If you choose a canned soup, opt for a low-sodium, broth-based version and stay away from chowders or “cream of” anything -- these soups can be loaded with fat and calories.

Grilled cheese and tomato soup is the standard -- in my opinion -- and can easily be made healthier with these simple suggestions:

Check labels carefully. Many prepared soups can be loaded with sodium. Some solid bets include Campbell's Healthy Request Tomato, which has just 90 calories, 2 grams of fat and 460 milligrams of sodium; Healthy Choice Tomato Garden with 110 calories, 2 grams of fat and 420 milligrams of sodium; and Walnut Acres Savory Tomato with 120 calories, 2 grams of fat and 580 milligrams of sodium.

If you like the taste of a cream-based tomato soup but want to avoid the extra calories and fat, take this tip from Nicole Bengtson, RD, LD/N, “Make your tomato soup with skim or 1% milk instead of water. You’ll be getting an extra dose of calcium while still cutting the calories and fat you’d get from a true cream-based tomato soup.”

In addition to being delicious, tomato soup is a great source of lycopene. This red pigment found in tomatoes may help reduce certain cancer risks, lower cholesterol, protect vision and maintain mental sharpness, and it's found mostly in processed tomato products like, you guessed it, canned tomato soup!

Here's a quick, healthy "grilled cheese" that's sure to please and can be ready in about 15 minutes:

Ingredients:
4 slices light sourdough bread
4 slices fat-free American cheese singles
1 large beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 thick slices

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray both sides of the bread slices with butter-flavor nonstick cooking spray. Layer 2 cheese slices on each of 4 slices of bread, top with tomato slice and second slice of bread. Arrange sandwiches on a baking sheet and then bake until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown, about 8 minutes on each side.

Makes 2 servings. Nutritional values per serving: 153 calories, 1g fat, 28g carbohydrates, 13g protein, 5g fiber, 765mg sodium

There you have it, a quick classic made healthy -- perfect for lunch or a cold winter night. Now that's mmm…mmm good for you!

Do you have a great tweak for easier weight loss? Let us know and post it below.

Labels: calories, comfort-foods, cooking, diet, food, health, healthy, holidays, lunch tips, nutrition, recipes, tweak

View more: Diet & Fitness