Soup is a type of liquid food prepared using water, vegetables, fish, meat, and other additives. It is a rich source of nutrients, essential for the proper functioning of the body. According to the American Heart Association, a nonprofit organization in the United States, an adult should consume eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Soup can help one get this amount easily. Soup is a mainly hot liquid food, usually served hot or warm, which consists of several ingredients of either vegetable or flesh, with enough liquid to cover the ingredients.
Soup is also characterized by boiling raw ingredients in soups or liquids in a large pot until the flavors have been extracted, then separating the solids from the liquids. This way soup can be made on demand, and it is one of the most popular soups worldwide. Soup can be made by any type of cooking pot, from crockery to stovetop. Soup is served for various occasions, as an appetizer, for example, as a dessert, as a first course meal, as a drink, as both a soup and a dessert, as a starter dish, as an appetizer, as a side dish or for snacks.
Clear soup is a thin soup, usually cold, that is usually made by gently simmering stock in a large pan or pot until almost clear, then carefully removing from heat and allowing to cool slowly. Soup can be made into a thick soup by adding thicker stock or broth, and seasonings. Soup thickened by the addition of thickening agents such as gelatin or eggs, is known as cream of soup. The most famous and traditional cream of soup is often considered passed soup.
A less traditional but just as flavorful way to prepare a cream soup base is to use pureed, chopped vegetables in water that has been brought to a very boil, then allowing them to cool slightly. Pureed vegetables are very much like a puree, so it can be used as a base for meat based soups as well. A great dessert soup that is often served during special events is chocolate cream soup. It can be made from chocolate pudding mix or other store bought chocolate pudding mixes, and it is thickened with cream. Soup is a liquid food, generally served warm or hot that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, or water.
Since soups are mostly liquid, they give immune system a boost. Most soups are loaded with disease-fighting nutrients. Studies have shown that soup is actually a contributing factor in losing weight, maintaining weight goals, and lowering the risk of obesity.
