Soup, soup, beautiful soup...why not?

[Carrie D. 0]

I'm having trouble understanding something. My nut told me that we shouldn't be eating Soups because they wash through the stoma too quickly. I also understand that cream soups can be loaded with extra calories.

What I don't understand is that when I eat homemade chicken Soup with lots of veggies, I'm seriously full for a long time. I'm not banded yet, but I fail to see why still eating soup would not be good. After all, with the homemade, I'm getting Protein, electrolytes, and lots of veggies for not many calories. So why is soup bad? :woot:

[snowbird 2]

If Soup works for you, I would eat it. You already quoted the conventional wisdom about it--too much liquid making the food wash through the stoma, too many calories. But I think soup is a great food. I do not find myself getting hungry sooner with it, so we have it a lot. My doctor said the same thing--too many calories, doesn't keep you full. I read labels or make my own and have a good idea how many calories I am consuming, and it is certainly no more in a soup meal than in something else.

[Luscious 1]

As far as I'm concerned, good homemade veggie Soup will be my savour - both in terms of comforting me (its coming into Winter here) and adding some valuable fibre and nutrients - at very low calories.

I read once that people who drank a cup of vegetable soup one hour before lunch and/or dinner, naturally ate less during their meal, and lost more weight long term. Works for me.

[Michee 2]

It really depends on how "tight" your band is. If a bowl of Soup (not carb loaded with rice or pasta) is filling you up then fine. If you are eating soup, then a meal, it's a different story.

My doctor suggests that the band works best when you avoid all liquid calories.

[MerryHearted 20]

Like you said, you're not banded yet. If, once banded, you find that a bowl of homemade chicken Soup keeps you full for as long as regular solid food does, then why not? As long as you are keeping an eye on your calories too and not eating more because some is getting washed through the band.

Same thing with foods like oatmeal and yogurt, or even a regular bowl of Cereal with milk.

I think it's akin to what someone else was saying on the "no drinking with meals" thread -- if you are carefully monitoring your portions/calories, losing weight and staying full between meals, then does it really matter that much? Well, maybe it doesn't. It's something to look at as soon as the weight loss stalls though, especially if you aren't monitoring your caloric intake & portion sizes carefully.

[Jachut 487]

If it fills you eat it, regardless of what your nut says. If it washed through it wouldnt fill you and you wouldnt stay full. I also never ever found that drinking soon after meals washed my food thorugh.

Soup is a food I seriously struggle with. I eat it becuase its a fantastic way (if you make it yourself) to get in a very very nourishing meal, but boy, something about the liquid/solid combo makes it very much a "go carefully"food for me, it takes me ages to eat and I stay full for hours and hours and hours afterwards. Its the best lunch I can possibly eat.

Ditto - muesli (which is a solid with milk) has the same effect for me. A great filling meal that I have to eat slowly (which is perhaps why its so satisfying?).

I think you have to find your personal balances to a degree, the band is differnet for everyone.

Too many calories? Lol, what's your doctor smoking snowbird? I'm glad you ignore taht advice - I've got here a tin of (Australian) Heinz Very Special, Lentil and Vegetable, the panel says 250 calories per serve, a whopping 11 grams of Protein and 8 grams of dietary fibre, with fairly OK (for canned soup) sodium. That to me is a remarkably low calorie meal for the fibre and Protein it offers. Given that the most I'd add to it is a couple of dry Vita Wheat crackers, for a whopping 60 calories!

Edited May 19, 2008 by Jachut

[snowbird 2]

Well, he's a Mexican doctor, so maybe he's talking about Mexican Soup? ? Just kidding.

[aubrie 6]

Things like Soup (especially bean soups) and oatmeal stay with me for a good while. I don't have any problem with it. A thin broth goes through me, but not a heavier soup with chunks and Beans. My doctor HIGHLY recommends any kind of beans. They stay with me forever. I LOVE black bean soup. It's spicey, has veggies and is very nutritious. I also make lentil stew a lot. I put left over leg of lamb in it. Delicious.

[Ann D 0]

I LOVE Soup. My doctor actually recommended soup when ever I want it. I make a killer chicken noodle soup; and regardless of how much broth I drink I get full with my current fills.

Before Lap band I could probably eat 2 large bowls of soup maybe 2 cups each. Now I am lucky if I can get down 1 cup. It's more like 1/2 to a 2/3 cup.

[juliegeraci 7]

I would ignore your nutritionist on this one. Soups is packed with vitmans and not a lot of calories. The key is if it keeps you full go for it.

[Carrie D. 0]

You know, I'm going to go with what I know about myself this time over the nutritionist, but I will be careful. I like healthy Soups like chicken & veggie, lentil, 15 bean, taco Soup, etc. All of these soups pack a big nutritional bang for my calories. I posted the same question on another board and I got very similar answers to what you all are saying. One was particularly good...said I could drink the broth, wait 30 minutes, and then go back and eat the chunks of whatever. I think it's a worthy compromise if I have to do that. Thanks for taking the time to share your answers