5 Scrumptious Soup Recipes That Are Packed With Nutritional vitamins and Minerals

Your body needs a variety of essential vitamins and minerals to function properly – and your nutritional needs change as you age. Each vital nutrient supports different body functions that will help you stay healthy at different stages of life.

Planning menus with the recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals may seem daunting – but it shouldn’t be difficult! You can get many vital nutrients by throwing together a delicious, hearty, and healthy pot of soup. Make sure to follow the nutrition guidelines and try these healthy soup recipes to get the nutrients you need.

Essential Vitamins and Minerals for Older Adults

Dietary needs change with age, and it’s never too late to choose healthy foods and drinks. The National Institute of Health recommends eating nutrient-rich foods from each of the core food groups (vegetables, fruits, grains, protein, dairy products, and oils) and following the recommended daily calorie limits.

Calcium, the most abundant mineral in your body, strengthens teeth and bones. Bone mass decreases with age, which puts older adults at greater risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Dairy products like low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, and dark leafy vegetables like kale are good sources of daily calcium!

In addition, a high-sodium diet can increase your blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Adults over 51 years of age should not exceed 2,300 mg sodium per day or 1,500 mg per day if they currently have high blood pressure or high blood pressure.

For the recommended daily amounts of essential nutrients, see the National Institute of Aging Research for the National Institute of Health’s Key Vitamins and Minerals table for people over 51.

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Try these hearty soups that offer exactly what your body needs to start a healthier diet!

Vegetable soup rich in vitamins

This aromatic chicken broth-based vegetable soup contains a large selection of vegetables rich in vitamins – broccoli and paprika for vitamin C, white potatoes for vitamins B1, B3, B6, potassium and magnesium, carrots for vitamin A and much more!

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut pumpkin soup is a favorite treat that is delicious in every season. This recipe contains a fun twist ingredient – apples! The surprise fruit adds fiber, tons of vitamins, and potassium to the pot. The pumpkin at its core is a great source of fiber for intestinal health that also contains several vitamins as well as calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Carrots and onions round off the vegetables with vegetable broth and coconut milk.

Vitamin vegetable soup

This variety of vegetable soup is packed with nutrients. Parsnips add vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid to your bowl, along with carrots for vitamins A, E, and K. Mushrooms add vitamin D, biotin, niacin, and riboflavin, and spinach has B vitamins! A tablespoon of olive oil adds heart-healthy fat with garlic, basil, thyme, and black pepper to enhance the flavor.

Lightened pasta fagioli soup

Pasta e Fagioli means “pasta and beans,” and this recipe offers a “light” version of the popular Italian all-in-one meal. Lean ground turkey replaces ground beef as an excellent source of protein with carrots with vitamin A, E and K packs, and tomatoes rich in antioxidants with folic acid and potassium. Shredded cabbage adds fiber and folic acid, while kidney beans (which always need to be cooked well) have extra protein and vitamins. Carbohydrate noodles round off the dish as an energy booster!

Chicken and kale soup

Kale is one of the most nutritious vegetables and is paired with high-protein chicken in this hearty soup. A single cup of kale is packed with vitamins A, K, and C. It also has B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and more. The hearty soup also contains potatoes, onions and great Nordic beans with no added salt.

These are just some delicious options to get you started! Adding a hearty soup to your day is adding some of the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Active aging is presented by Active aging is presented by IC Care, In-Home Companion Care. IC Care is the leading home care agency in the Ohio Valley, providing support services to help seniors age at home.