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If it’s not cold and dreary outside, do you ever think to have a nice bowl of soup? You should, because making soup a regular part of your diet can lead to big drops on the scale!

Everyone knows that soup is wonderfully filling and satisfying. Unlike most liquids, soup has a high satiety effect, comparable to solid foods, according to a study conducted at Purdue University. Participants who ate soup consumed fewer calories overall, leading researchers to conclude that soup eaten before a meal, or as a meal, helps reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness.

How would you like to lower your caloric intake by 20%? A study at Penn State found that you could do that, just by eating a bowl of low-calorie soup before your meal. Except for the creamy ones, soups tend to be very healthy and lower in calories than many other choices.

Making and eating soup can be a time-saver! Sure, multi-ingredient soups can be a little labor intensive, but the wonderful thing is that you do it once and then enjoy the pot of soup the rest of the week. Soup also freezes well, so you can make and enjoy it now, and freeze some for later.

Squash, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, onions, celery, carrots, and cabbage are all delicious and healthy when added to soup. You could knock out your vegetable requirements of 2-3 cups with a delicious bowl or two. These vegetables are also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.

A large pot, filled with diced vegetables and low-fat, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, can make a delicious appetizer or meal in less than an hour. It takes no culinary skill to make a mouthwatering soup. Tasty, low-calorie recipes abound!

Another wonderful thing about soup is that it is generally packed with fiber. Adults should consume between 25-35 grams each day. Eating soups that are full of vegetables, beans, or whole-grains can get you close to that goal in no time.

One complaint that manufacturers listened to loud and clearly was the sodium issue that is often associated with soup. Many of them now make low-sodium versions. If you make the soup yourself however, you can control the ingredients and not have to worry about this problem.

So if weight loss is your goal, quit thinking of soup as a winter food and start thinking of it as a daily necessity. Don’t forget that there are wonderful versions of soup served cold, and there are even soups made from fruit! Enjoying soup as an appetizer or as a meal will help you slim down while feeling satisfied.