With fall in full swing, you might be craving a hot, cozy soup.
Soups not only provide comforting warmth but can also be highly nutritious, offering a “great way” to add more vegetables to your diet in a low-calorie package, said Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, RD, a dietitian with Ronald Reagan–UCLA Medical Center and author of Recipe for Survival.
But certain missteps can undermine soup’s nutritional potential. Here are some common mistakes people make when preparing or buying soups—and what to do instead.
One of the biggest soup blunders is ignoring a high sodium content, Diane Stadler, PhD, a nutritionist and professor of health promotion and sports medicine at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, told Health.
According to Stadler, many canned soups contain between 450 and 900 milligrams of sodium per one-cup serving—and some, like French onion soup, may include even more.
That means just one cup of commercial soup could account for up to 40% of the recommended daily sodium limit of 2,300 milligrams per day—or even the full day’s worth for people on specialized low-sodium diets, Stadler said.
“Less sodium is always better in soup since we get it in so many places in our diet,” Hunnes said. Too much salt in soup can increase blood pressure and cause water retention, which may contribute to heart disease over time.
The fix: Pay attention to the sodium content on labels when buying canned or boxed soup, and opt for lower-sodium options. When making soup at home, Stadler recommends seasoning with herbs and spices like rosemary or thyme instead of excess salt. You can also swap salt for acids like vinegar, lime, or lemon juice, which “hit the same taste bud receptors,” Hunnes added.
Soups are a great way to pack in nutrition, offering fiber, protein, and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. But if your soup doesn’t contain a variety of ingredients—or if they all offer similar nutrients—you might not be taking full advantage of its nutritional potential.
For example, your soup might include a couple of vegetables but lack ingredients that add bulk, flavor, and protein. Or it may contain protein and carbohydrates but be missing out on nutrient-rich vegetables.
The fix: Aim for balanced nutrition in your soup. One easy way to do that is by adding beans, Stadler recommended. Not only do they add texture and flavor, but they’re also an “excellent source of lean protein, fiber, and potassium,” she said. For example, half a cup of great northern beans provides about 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber.
Many store-bought canned soups, such as those made with additives like butter or cream, are high in fat.
Just one tablespoon of heavy cream contains about 3 grams of saturated fat, which can raise LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol and contribute to heart problems over time. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 13 grams of saturated fat a day, assuming a daily calorie count of 2,000.
Too much fat can also add calories, which may hinder weight management if that’s one of your goals.
The fix: Opt for broth-based soups and check the label for fat content. When making soup at home, Stadler suggested considering alternatives like puréed white beans or oat milk, which contains about 110 calories per cup, compared to more than 800 calories in a cup of heavy cream.
Canned soups are often the most convenient choice—especially if you don’t have much time to cook—and they’re generally affordable.
But choosing them means you’re limited to the ingredients they contain, which can include high levels of sodium and fat. A recent study also suggests that some canned soups may contain toxic heavy metals.
On the flip side, “homemade vegetable or meat broths allow you to control sodium and eliminate unnecessary additives such as preservatives and emulsifiers,” Stadler said.
The fix: Try making your own soups that are low in sodium and fat but rich in protein, fiber, and other nutrients. If you do opt for canned soups, one idea is to drain and rinse the vegetables and beans—even if they’re labeled low sodium—to reduce the salt content. Then, add your own broth.
When you’re quickly scanning options at the store, it’s easy to forget to read nutrition labels. But if you’re not paying attention to the nutritional content, you’ll have no idea that a seemingly healthy vegetable soup could contain hidden ingredients that aren’t so good for you.
The fix: Always “familiarize yourself with the ingredient lists on commercially prepared soups,” Stadler suggested. She also recommended looking for labels like “low-sodium” or “no salt added” when buying canned soups or broths, vegetables, and beans to use in your soup.
While soups can be a nutritious option, it’s easy to make mistakes that reduce their health benefits. Common pitfalls include adding too much salt, relying heavily on canned varieties, and using too much cream or butter. Experimenting with homemade soups and focusing on balanced nutrition can help ensure your soup is as healthy as it is comforting.
