It is a common habit for many families to have a bowl of hot soup on the table. However, drinking soup requires some attention, which we often overlook. Properly drinking soup is essential for absorbing its nutrients. Here are several common misconceptions about drinking soup.
Misconception 1: Preferring hot soup
Many people enjoy drinking freshly cooked hot soup, thinking that it can warm the stomach and body. However, the maximum tolerable temperature for the oral cavity, esophagus, and gastric mucosa is 60°C. Exceeding this temperature can easily cause mucosal burns and lead to malignant changes in the gastrointestinal mucosa. Therefore, the temperature of the soup should not exceed 60 degrees.
Misconception 2: Not drinking soup residue
Most people believe that after long-term high-temperature stewing, the nutrients of the ingredients have already permeated into the soup, and only drinking the soup is sufficient. However, experiments have shown that after boiling fish, chicken, beef, and other high-protein ingredients for 6 hours, the soup may appear thick, but the protein dissolution rate is only 6%-15%. More than 85% of the protein remains in the residue. In other words, when drinking soup, it is still necessary to eat an appropriate amount of meat.
Misconception 3: The habit of soaking rice in soup
When we chew food, it is not only for easy swallowing but also to moisten the food with saliva. Saliva is produced by continuous chewing, and the digestive enzymes in saliva can promote digestion and absorption of food, which is very beneficial to health. Soaking rice in soup makes the rice soft and easy to swallow, but it hinders the digestion of food by saliva and increases the burden on the stomach. Prolonged soaking can cause discomfort in the stomach.
Misconception 4: Preferring "single-flavor soup"
Some people like to drink soup made from a single ingredient. However, each type of food contains different nutrients, and even a delicious and rich soup containing amino acids may lack essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. It is recommended to mix animal and plant-based ingredients when cooking soup. This can enhance the flavor and make the nutrition more comprehensive.
Considerations for drinking soup
1. There is no need to worry about whether to drink soup before or after a meal. There are no specific restrictions. If you want to lose weight, you can drink soup within 20 minutes before a meal, but not in large quantities. Drinking a large amount of soup can affect digestion and prevent the proper consumption of staple foods. For people with weak stomach motility and gastric prolapse, it is advisable to drink less soup both before and after meals.
2. Hypertensive patients should only drink soup without oil and salt, as salty soup is not conducive to blood pressure control. For diabetic patients, in addition to controlling oil and salt intake, they should also consider the blood sugar response of the soup. Concentrated porridge and sweet soup are not suitable for consumption. People with poor gastrointestinal function should avoid greasy soups, and when drinking meat soup, the floating oil should be removed.
