A steaming bowl of soup is a multipurpose food as far as people with diabetes are concerned. It could be served as an appetiser; it could be a satiating evening snack or even a complete meal for people with diabetes, who need to adopt a balanced and controlled diet.
Dr Pramod V Satya, consultant, internal medicine & diabetologist, Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru, says that soups with low carbohydrates, low glycemic index, and low calories could be the perfect comfort food for people with diabetes.
“Depending on the ingredients you use to prepare the soup it could be taken as a meal, an appetiser or a snack,” says Bengaluru-based nutritionist Nidhi Nigam.
Types of diabetes-friendly soups
1. Protein-rich soups
While chicken soup is a good source of protein, people who are looking to lose weight can add low-fat paneer (cottage cheese) or tofu to it.
“Mushroom soup and broccoli soup are other great ingredients to pick because both of them are low GI ingredients and are rich in fiber, minerals and antioxidants,” says Nigam.
2. Fiber-rich soups
Nigam suggests combining tomatoes, spinach and carrot for a fiber-rich soup is a good idea. This blanched and blended nutritious soup can be seasoned with salt, pepper and a dash of lemon juice. However, when you blanch the vegetables, don’t do it for more than five minutes as they will lose the nutrients.
“Try to use the water in which you have blanched the vegetable in the soups so that you get maximum vitamins,” advises Nigam.
Dr Satya says non-starchy vegetables such as lentils, mushrooms, and leafy greens have a low glycemic index and are rich in dietary fiber.
Have a nutrient-dense bowl of soup for dinner
“Macro- and micronutrient-rich soups are a good replacement for heavy dinner or food after sundown for people with diabetes,” says Bengaluru-based dietician Deepalekha Banerjee.
Banerjee says diabetics can have nutritious soups like lentil-based soups, chicken bell pepper soup, rajma (kidney beans) soup, mushroom dill soup, chickpea chicken and cabbage soup.
Something like a clear soup (boiled ingredients are taken out of the soup, and you are left with a liquid soup) which is light and can be had as a pre-meal appetizer is also advisable. “If you wish you can also add some healthy seeds to it so that the sugar spike is slow and you are slightly full,” says Nigam.
She further says that something like minestrone, an Italian soup with tomato-based broth, and macaroni with low GI could be a wholesome meal. She explains the bowl would comprise about 250 ml of soup which is prepared by adding about 200 gm of finely chopped vegetables and 30 grams of low GI macaroni. It would have about 100 gm of tomatoes as the soup base.
“You can use non-starchy vegetables like onion, zucchini, cauliflower, different bell peppers and coriander in the soup,” adds Nigam.
Another ingredient that could be beneficial for people with diabetes is ragi. “Ragi is a rich source of fiber, protein and minerals which can be made into soup by sautéing ragi and vegetables separately and then cooking and boiling the two together,” suggests Nigam.
Timing is important when it comes to having soups
According to Banerjee, it is a good idea to have soups between meals if you are feeling peckish.
Nigam mentions that soups can be a good evening snack. This also prevents overeating at the time of dinner.
“They also make for a great lunch option because they are not high on processed carbs, so will not lead to an afternoon slump,” adds Nigam.
Having soup as dinner keeps the stomach light and promotes good sleep.
Banerjee says lentils, pulses, poultry and seafood are some good sources of proteins and when incorporated in the soups these ingredients help in strengthening muscles and stamina building. “The calorie content is less which wouldn’t lead to weight gain,” she says.
It also helps feeling full and takes a long time to digest.
Banerjee explains that incorporating carbs like barley, rice and spaghetti in soups helps in providing energy to the body.
She says adding a handful of complex carbs like red rice, brown rice or millets (like ragi, bajra, jowar, foxtail) offer much-needed fiber and minerals. The high fiber content increases metabolism and regulates sugar level. “It also helps in relieving constipation,” says Banerjee.
“This helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and avoid low sugar at night (nocturnal hypoglycemia),” adds Dr Satya.
Soups with vegetables and herbs also add to vitamins and minerals consumption and increase the antioxidant content of the meal.
A word of caution for people with diabetes
Dr Satya says while including soups in your diet, particularly during dinner, can be helpful, it’s important to note that high-fiber foods often cause abdominal fullness at night.
Also, people with diabetes should avoid soups that use cornstarch as a thickening agent as it can spike up the sugar levels.
Takeaways
- Soups for people with diabetes should have good portions of fibrous vegetables, proteins, and seeds rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.
- It is best to have soups as lunch or dinner or in the gaps between meals as a snack.
- Before overloading the soups with vegetables or proteins you must consult a dietitian to pick the right quantity of ingredients.
