How healthy is pea soup?
The temperature is starting to drop again and so we are looking forward to start again. But how healthy is a plate of pea soup really?
It turns out to be mainly the way you prepare the soup and how often you eat it.
Variations
Let’s get straight to the point: how healthy pea soup is mainly depends on what you put in it yourself. One person opts for a skinny version with lean meat, while another prefers to put smoked sausage, bacon and shoulder chops in the soup. We all make soup in a slightly different way, so how (UN) healthy the soup is also differs from person to person. Yet there are a number of things that we will (almost) all put in it, so we mainly focus on that. Think of split peas, celeriac, carrot and smoked sausage.
Split peas
We kick off with the main ingredient of the soup: the split peas. They turn out to be very healthy for various reasons. Split peas have a low glycemic index. That may not mean much to you, but it means that they digest slowly and the carbohydrates are absorbed more slowly in your body. As a result, they ensure that your blood sugar level remains properly level. They also help to lower your ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and can have a positive influence if your blood pressure is on the high side. Unfortunately, the latter is often canceled out by the salt in pea soup, but it is always nice to know. If we look at the split peas, pea soup is certainly healthy.
Celeriac
Also a nice big celeriac should not be missed in the classic slice. And this ingredient of the pea soup also appears to be very healthy. There’s a lot of vitamin C and also contains a substantial dose of vitamin K . In addition, the celeriac also contributes to the amount of dietary fiber in the soup, which is good for your bowel movements and makes you feel full for longer.
Carrots
Of course we cannot skip carrots when we talk about pea soup. These are also very healthy, as you will probably not be surprised. They are good for your eyes due to the substance beta-carotene, and also ensure a radiant skin. In addition, they are low in calories but filling, and they are full of vitamins. Include vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D, E and K, as well as minerals such as potassium and magnesium. A healthy addition to your pea soup.
Smoked sausage
Also smoked in the pea soup is a classic, but how healthy is such a sausage? Not too bad, if you ask the Nutrition Center. There is a lot of salt and fat in a smoked sausage and the meat is processed, which turns out not to be very good for you. The lean version, which contains considerably less fat, is not very healthy; according to nutrition coach Jonathan Klaassen
Is pea soup healthy?
So it is difficult to actually state whether pea soup is healthy or not. Some of the ingredients are very good for you, some less so. The soup can also sometimes contain a lot of salt, which is not beneficial for your body. But as with basically any food, it also applies to pea soup, that one meal does not determine whether your diet is healthy or less healthy. A nice warm, filling cup of crisps now and then is really good for you. Especially when you combine it with rye bread. Enjoy your meal!
