Diabetic Friendly Soup Recipes for a Cozy Meal

To make soups that are suitable for people with diabetes, one needs to carefully choose ingredients and use precise cooking techniques so that blood sugar levels remain stable and healthy.

What to Include in Diabetic Friendly Soups

Let’s explore the essential factors for preparing nutritious soups suitable for diabetics:

• Carbohydrates with a Low Glycemic Index (GI): If you’re making soups for diabetics, it’s important to use low-GI carbohydrates. These types of carbs are digested slowly. This helps prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar. 
  Ingredients such as lentils, chickpeas, whole grains like barley or quinoa, and non-starchy veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach are great choices. They offer important nutrients without causing quick changes in blood sugar levels.
• Fibre-Rich Ingredients: Fibre helps slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, reducing their effect on blood sugar. Incorporate fibre-rich ingredients like beans, lentils, and vegetables into your soup.
• Lean Proteins: Add lean protein sources such as skinless poultry, tofu, or beans in your soup to maintain steady blood sugar levels. Protein-rich foods keep you full for a long time and prevent overeating.
• Healthy Fats: Include sources of healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, and nuts. These fats can improve insulin sensitivity and promote a feeling of fullness, helping to control blood sugar.
• Reduced Sodium: High sodium intake leads to high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for diabetes complications. Instead of salt, use herbs, spices, and low-sodium broths to add flavour to your soup. Fresh herbs like basil, thyme, and rosemary can add depth to the taste without compromising health.
• Portion Control: As you all know, an excess of everything is terrible; even the healthiest soups can affect blood sugar if consumed excessively. Pay attention to portion sizes to prevent overconsumption of carbohydrates or calories.
• Homemade Broths: Making your broths allows you to control the ingredients. It will also help you to avoid hidden sugars or additives in some store-bought broths.
• Balanced Vegetables: You can choose a bunch of different colourful vegetables that aren’t starchy for your soup. They give you important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and they help keep the carbs low.
• Monitoring and Testing: When creating diabetic-friendly soups, monitoring and testing your blood sugar levels is important. This will help you understand how different ingredients affect your body. It will help you choose what to eat.
• Consult a Dietitian: It’s a smart idea to talk to a registered dietitian or a healthcare professional if you have diabetes. They can help you with advice that fits your specific health needs and goals.

Diabetes-friendly Chicken Soup

Here’s a quick recipe for diabetic chicken soup

• Make the broth first: In a large vessel, add 8 cups of water, whole chicken, 2 celery sticks, garlic cloves, ½ of the onion, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.
• Cover and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 1 hour.
• While the broth is simmering, dice the remaining vegetables- celery sticks, the other half of the onion, the carrots, and the squash. Mince the jalapeno and garlic cloves. Cut the ears of corn.
• When the broth is done, remove the chicken and set it aside to cool. Strain the broth and reserve the liquid in a bowl. Skim the fat off the top of the broth.
• Once the chicken is cool, remove the skin. Remove meat from the bones and chop roughly.
• Add the chopped vegetables, chicken, salt, pepper as per taste, and bay leaves in the same pot.
• Add the broth. Everything in the pot should be immersed in the broth completely. If not, add water and more salt.
• Cover and cook for 1 hour on low heat.
• Remove bay leaves and serve hot.

Lean protein in chicken soup provides essential nutrients and satiety, while low carbs help control carb intake. Balancing both enhances flavour and supports various dietary preferences, like low-carb diets.

Healthy Vegetable Soups for Diabetics

Diabetic-friendly soups are an excellent way to enjoy a variety of flavours while keeping blood sugar levels in check.

Listing down a few healthy soups for diabetics:

Cream of Tomato Soup

To make this tomato soup for diabetes, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 can of tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 170.1 gm of evaporated milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 2% low-fat milk
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley for garnishing

Method:

• Cut tomatoes into small, bite-sized pieces.
• Place the tomatoes along with their liquid in a saucepan.
• Add chopped onions, tomato paste, chicken broth, a bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Simmer the mixture uncovered for 5 minutes.

Delicious tomato soup is ready to serve!

Vegetable Soup with a richness of nutrients!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth (or homemade broth without added salt)
• 2 cups of water
• 2 cups of different fresh vegetables (such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, bell peppers, and spinach)
• 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
• 1/2 cup of chopped onion
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried herbs (such as oregano, basil or thyme)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and saute until fragrant and translucent.
• Add the diced tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes until they soften.
• Add various colourful vegetables rich in nutrients and fibre. Cook them for a few minutes until they begin to soften.
• Pour in the low-sodium vegetable broth and water. Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Simmer the flame and add the dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.
• Adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more water if you prefer a thinner soup.

Heat it and enjoy!

Roasted Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

• 9-12 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 3 cloves of unpeeled garlic
• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Shredded carrot
• 1 Fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup water

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
• Combine the carrot pieces, the onion, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat.
• Place vegetables in a single layer on a greased baking pan.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until carrots are very tender. Cool slightly.
• Squeeze garlic cloves from their skins into a food processor or blender.
• Add roasted carrots, onion, and ginger; cover and process or blend until the vegetables are chopped.
• Add almond milk, broth, and pepper. Cover and blend until smooth.
• Shift to a medium saucepan. Stir in the water. Cook and stir until heated through. If you want, garnish with shredded carrot and basil leaves.

Your comfort food is ready.

Try these soups that are good for diabetics. We are sure you will have a satisfying and comforting meal.

Store-bought soups & Homemade Soups

It isn’t clear for everyone to decide which option is better, as this debate will not end anytime soon. Stating the advantages of both types of soups:

Homemade soups:

• Control over ingredients: You have complete control over fresh, organic, high-quality ingredients, ensuring a nutritious, additive-free soup.
• Customisation: Homemade soups can be tailored to your taste and dietary preferences, offering endless possibilities.
• Healthier options: You can reduce sodium and unhealthy fats, catering to specific dietary needs.
• Cost efficiency: Making large batches and freezing them can save money over time.
• Store-bought soups:
• Convenience: Quick and easy meal option, ideal for busy individuals.
• Variety: A wide range of options is available with different tastes and dietary restrictions.
• Long shelf life: Preservatives extend shelf life and are useful for stocking up.

Ultimately, the choice between homemade and store-bought soup depends on your priorities and needs, with homemade offering control, customisation, and store-bought providing convenience and variety.

Wrapping Up

Soups can provide lots of necessary nutrition. They are a valuable way to increase your veg intake and a good source of fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Enjoy these nutrient-rich, light-on-the-stomach meals for a healthier you.