Soup is a flavoursome broth made by cooking vegetables, fish, meat, or grains in specific proportions. There are more than 250 varieties of soups in various cuisines around the globe.
Traditional south Indian dishes like sambar and rasam, too, can be put in the category of soups. The very humble rice water itself can be consumed as rice soup.
Clear soups and thick soups are the two types of soups that are commonly cooked. The clear soups are mostly made using chicken or beef broth/stock. Meanwhile, fresh cream and purees are the prime ingredients in a cream soup.
Soups are loaded with vitamins and essentials nutrients and taste delicious as well. Besides, soups are incredibly easy to prepare and serve, which makes it a popular addition in multi-course meals. They are light on the stomach and ease digestion as well.
Healthy broths
Soup is an excellent appetizer that stimulates the digestive process. A bowl of refreshing, warm soup readies the stomach for the dishes that follow. It is a wholesome dish for children, old people, and those who are unwell because soups are light and easily digestible.
The vegetables and the meats in this liquid food are easily assimilated into the body. Moreover, soup is a nutritious dish with fewer calories that do not add up on your body weight. Soups are filling and do not let you overeat. So, liquid foods like these would effectively prevent obesity as they can stretch the muscles in the stomach.
A delicious soup that is loaded with vitamins and nutrients can be made by dry roasting and grinding grains and then boiling them in water. Fish, meat, vegetables or eggs, too, can be added as they give extra nutrition.
History of soups
The history of soups goes back to the history of culinary arts itself. It is believed that the first bowl of soup was prepared around 20,000 BC. It is assumed that early people began cooking broths as soon as they discovered making mud vessels or clay pots. Some historical documents state that soups had become part of the regular menu in many civilizations from 6000 BC onwards.
As time passed, different types of spices, aromatics, and ingredients granted unique flavours and aroma to the soup. If soups were once considered a humble dish that was mostly eaten by patients and poor people, now it is a supreme dish that kick starts a royal buffet.
The origins
Humans began consuming cooked food after the discovery of pottery and vessels. Before that, they consumed raw meat and then began roasting it over fire. They began cooking paste-like foods after mud vessels and clay pots became parts of their life.
Experimenting with flavours
Chefs and culinary experts constantly experiment with ingredients and techniques to create varieties of soups in myriad flavours. Fresh and locally-sourced ingredients play vital roles in the creation of unique soup recipes. Meats of different kinds, fish, vegetables and herbs are added in the soups to pack the broth with amazing flavours.
Soups are sold in the markets depending upon their nutritional values. Packaged soups became popular in the 19th century when the technique of canning was discovered. Canned soup, dried soup, microwave-ready soup, portable soup and traveller's soup (pocket soup) are some of the popular varieties of soups. Besides, healthier versions that are storehouses of fibres, less fatty, and sodium-free, too, are very much in demand.
Etymology
The English word 'soup' comes from the French term 'soupe.' This word, meanwhile, has its origins in the Vulgar Latin term 'suppa' which means a bread soaked in broth. Interestingly, even the concept of restaurant is related to soup. In the 16th century, street vendors in Paris used to sell a delicious liquid paste called 'restauratiffs' to the common people. Later, these kiosks that sold restaurantiffs came to be known as restaurants.
(Information courtesy: Swapna Rajeev, Chief dietician, Rene Medicity, Palarivattom)
FAQs
Commercial soup became popular with the invention of canning in the 19th century, and today a great variety of canned and dried soups are on the market.
Why is soup so popular? ›
Few foods are as convenient, comforting or filling as a warm bowl of your favorite soup. Thanks to the robust nutrients and healthy ingredients of soup, it has been a go-to meal option when someone is coming down with a cold for decades.
Why was soup one of the first foods eaten? ›
Archaeologists speculate the first soup might have been made by Neanderthals, boiling animal bones to extract fat essential for their diet and drinking the broth.
Why is soup a popular starter choice? ›
Soup is served up front because it is usually prepared and ready to serve, thus buying time for the preparation of courses that require just in time preparation. Also, if a soup is more soup than stew, it is usually pretty light and does not displace the forthcoming entrees.
What influenced soup making? ›
Soup (and stews, pottages, porridges, gruels, etc.) evolved according to local ingredients and tastes. New England chowder, Spanish gazpacho, Russian borscht, Italian minestrone, French onion, Chinese won ton and Campbell's tomato...are all variations on the same theme.
Which countries eat the most soup? ›
Soup Market Regional Insights
Due to their expanding populations, the U.K. and Russia are the two European nations that consume the most soup. In comparison to the other countries in the region, these countries consume a disproportionately high amount of processed food.
What is the main purpose of soup? ›
Since soups are mostly liquid, they're a great way to stay hydrated and full. They give your immune system a boost. Soups can help you stave off cold and flu, and they're a great antidote for times when you are sick, too! Most soups are loaded with disease-fighting nutrients.
Why do humans love soup? ›
Soup may be a reminder of loving care
Over time, the food alone may conjure up feelings of comfort. In one experiment, people either had chicken noodle soup or not before doing a word-completion task. Those who ate the soup and regarded it as comfort food were more likely to recall relationship words.
What are three facts about soup? ›
Soups can be consumed hot or cold, depending on the climate of the region where it's being served, and flavors can be sweet or savory. Americans eat more than 10 billion bowls of soup each year. The most popular soup variety in the U.S. is chicken noodle.
What is the old name for soup? ›
Until the arrival of the term soup, such food had been termed broth or pottage. It was customarily served with the meat or vegetables with which it had been made, and (as the derivation of soup suggests) was poured over sops of bread or toast (the ancestors of modern croutons).
Soup can be filling, low calorie, nutrient-dense, and supportive of your immune system and weight loss journey. Maximize the benefits by avoiding soups that are full of salt, sugar, or cream. Look for soups brimming with vegetables and sources of filling protein and healthy fat instead.
Who invented soup first? ›
Who boiled the first soup? The exact time period that soup was invented remains debatable. However according to archaeologist John Speth, our ancient Neanderthal relatives were likely to have begun boiling meat to render fat from animal bones – resulting in a meat broth that they would have drunk as soup.
What is the healthiest soup? ›
These healthy soup recipes are packed full of goodness but they also pack a punch when it comes to flavour.
- Chicken Vietnamese Pho.
- Green spring minestrone.
- Herb and yoghurt-based soup.
- Lamb shank and barley soup.
- Pumpkin soup with star croutons.
- Lentil and vegetable soup with crusty bread.
General guidelines recommend that adults consume at least five servings of vegetables each day. Soup can be a great way to boost your intake. May reduce heart disease risk: Studies have shown that plant-based eating may help reduce the risk of heart disease and other health conditions.
Why do we eat soup first? ›
Drinking soup before the meal can help to whet your appetite for the upcoming courses, while drinking soup together with the meal can help digestion at the same time.
Did people eat soup in the 1800s? ›
Both soups were meant to be made with time and care. And somehow, of all the foods we've made so far, it's these soup recipes that are staying with me… making tangible the broad spectrum of what it meant to put good food on the table, in the 1800's.
When did soup kitchens become popular? ›
During the Great Depression preceding the passage of the Social Security Act, "soup kitchens" provided the only meals some unemployed Americans had. This particular soup kitchen was sponsored by the Chicago gangster Al Capone.
When did the soup come out? ›
The Soup is an American television series that aired weekly on E! from July 1, 2004, until December 18, 2015, as a revamped version of Talk Soup that focused on recaps of various popular culture and television moments of the week.
When did canned soup become a thing? ›
1897. Dr. John T. Dorrance, Arthur's nephew, invents the process of condensing soup, leading to smaller packaging: Cans!
See AlsoYou Accidentally Left Your Soup Out Overnight. Is It Still Safe To Eat?Campbell’s History - Campbell Soup CompanyA Taste of Medieval Times: Exploring the Soup Culture"Neua Tune": The soup that has been simmering in Bangkok for almost 50 years - Falstaff
