Miso soup is a delicious, healthy, and low-calorie meal that can help you lose weight. It is made from fermented soybeans, brown rice, or barley, and has many health benefits while also helping to melt away extra pounds.
In this article, we will discuss the top 7 benefits of miso soup for weight loss.
Miso soup is a traditional Japanese dish served in many Japanese restaurants that is made by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji, a type of fungus.
The resulting fermented paste (known as miso paste) is then mixed with water to create a soup.
Miso soup can be made with various types of miso, depending on the desired flavor.
For example, lighter-colored misos (white miso) tend to be more mild, while darker-colored misos have a stronger flavor.
In addition, miso soup can be made with different types of proteins and vegetables. common additions include tofu, seaweed, and green onions.
The soup is typically served with rice or noodles, and it can be enjoyed either hot or cold.
You can also purchase instant Miso Soup in the grocery store, but making your own miso soup is a simple process that yields a delicious and healthy dish and would be a great addition to your diet.
Let’s now get into the top health benefits of miso soup and how they can help you with weight loss.
1. Miso Soup is Low in Calories
One delicious bowl of Miso soup only contains 40-90 calories per cup!
This is of course depending on how it is made and the ingredients chosen, but this is still a great calorie range for something that tastes so good.
It is clear that keeping tabs on our calorie intake is extremely vital for losing weight successfully in a calorie deficit, so making Miso soup a part of your diet is a great way to enjoy something super delicious, without the heavy calorie density.
Enjoying healthy soup and other broths is an easy way to make yourself feel full while also avoiding large amounts of calories.
Keep this in mind as most broths or soup stocks do not contain an abundance of calories and are very easy to make at home.
2. Miso Soup Can Help Suppress your Appetite
For many years, Japanese researchers have been investigating the link between diet and health, and miso soup is one of the foods that has received a lot of attention.
Studies have shown that miso soup can help to suppress appetite.
One theory is that the amino acids in miso soup help to stimulate the release of cholecystokinin, a hormone that plays a role in regulating hunger.
Another possibility is that the soup’s savory flavor helps to trick the brain into feeling full.
Whatever the mechanism, there is evidence to suggest that miso soup can be an effective way to control hunger and promote weight loss.
3. Miso Soup can Boost your metabolism
A bowl of miso soup is a staple of the Japanese diet and Japanese cuisine, and for good reason.
Did you know enjoying a bowl of delicious Miso soup can help to boost metabolism?
This is due to the fact that miso soup is rich in enzymes, which help to break down food and facilitate digestion.
In addition, miso soup contains high levels of glutamic acid, an amino acid that has been shown to increase metabolism. As a result, regularly consuming miso soup can help to promote weight loss and improve overall health.
Who on earth does not want a metabolism boost? I know I do.
Boosting your metabolism would allow you to better utilize calories and energy and burn fat at a faster rate, so you can’t lose!
4. Regulating Blood Sugar Levels
Recent studies have shown that miso may help to regulate blood sugar levels by promoting the release of insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that helps to regulate carbohydrate metabolism, and its release is triggered by elevated blood sugar levels.
In one study, participants who ate miso soup before a meal had lower post-meal blood sugar levels than those who did not consume miso soup.
These findings suggest that miso may help to regulate blood sugar levels by promoting the release of insulin. Given the rising prevalence of diabetes, this is surely a hopeful finding.
One more great thing about Miso Soup is it contains about 7 grams of carbs, which will help you decrease your sugar intake as this is a very small amount of carbohydrates.
5. Detoxifying your Body
The fermented soybeans in miso soup help to cleanse the digestive system, and the vegetables in the soup provide essential nutrients that help to boost detoxification processes.
Additionally, the broth of miso soup is rich in antioxidants, which help to protect cells from damage and promote healthy cellular function. As a result, miso soup can be an effective way to support the body’s natural detoxification processes.
When we are able to rid the body of toxins, we are able to create a better environment conducive to weight loss.
Toxins build up over time and cause problems with metabolism, energy levels, and digestion.
Flushing out these toxins can lead to increased energy levels and better digestive system function.
When you have more energy, you are able to move a lot more, which means you will burn more calories, which in turn means more fat burn.
6. Supporting Gut Health
Miso soup is a fermented food, and fermented foods are awesome for losing weight.
As I have discussed before, fermented foods help with weight loss mostly because they contain healthy beneficial bacteria that are important for gut health.
These bacteria are byproducts produced as part of the fermentation process.
These are known as healthy bacteria, or good bacteria because they help to establish normal flora within our gut.
These bacteria help you absorb more nutrients from your food and reduce inflammation.
Sauerkraut is another fermented food that is great for weight loss.
Miso also contains the probiotic a. oryzae, which has been shown to improve symptoms of and reduce risk of inflammatory bowel disease.
Studies have shown that people who eat fermented foods have lower levels of belly fat and are less likely to be overweight or obese. If you’re looking to lose weight, incorporating fermented foods into your diet is a great way to start.
7. Providing Essential Nutrients
Miso soup contains many healthy veggies right inside.
Miso soup can contain mushrooms, green onions, cloves, and ginger for example.
What a great way to get in some additional vegetables that have so many health benefits.
These essential nutrients also help to boost the immune system.
Vitamins and Minerals in Miso Soup
Made with fermented soybeans, miso soup is rich in vitamins and minerals, including zinc, copper, and manganese, and b vitamins. Miso soup is also a good source of protein, dietary fiber, and essential fatty acids.
Fermented soybeans also contain Vitamin K, which helps with the clotting of blood and also makes for healthy bones.
Miso is also abundant in Vitamin B12 and vitamin E.
In addition to being a nutritious choice, miso soup is also thought to have numerous health benefits including sustaining brain health.
Some research even suggests that consuming miso soup may help to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Miso soup may also help to improve heart health by reducing LDL cholesterol levels and prevent high blood pressure, which can lower your risk of developing heart disease.
In Summary
Miso soup is a delicious, nutrient-rich healthy find that has many benefits for weight loss.
By promoting the release of insulin, supporting gut health, promoting immune health, and providing essential nutrients, miso soup can be an good choice and be very effective for losing weight.
So next time you’re looking for a light, healthy meal, consider a cup of miso soup to help you reach your weight loss goals!
Do you want to make your own? Check out this awesome authentic Miso Soup recipe.
If you want to learn more about how you can lose weight the easy way while also eating the foods you love, be sure to check out other helpful articles below.
