My patients often hear me say "food is medicine". This soup is a prime example. Today in Ontario we have had yet another rainy, dreary day. All I wanted when I got home was a bowl of hot, hearty soup. This soup recipe (while unfortunately not my own) is one of my favourites. PLUS, as an added bonus the ingredients in the soup have a variety of medicinal purposes!
Butternut squash and carrots
- the orange colour in butternut squash an carrots is the result of carotenoids such as β-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene.
- These carotenoids help with a variety of conditions from our inside out including:
- Reducing the risk of eye diseases such as macular degeneration
- Lowers blood pressure
- And more!
Onions and garlic
- Both are part of a family of vegetables called the allium family
- The smell of onions and garlic is caused by sulfur compounds, these sulfur compounds are the substances that provide the health benefits of onion and garlic including
- Fighting infections
- Fighting heart disease
Cinnamon
- This common spice helps with a variety of medical conditions including
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- And more!
And last but not least one of my favourite herbs....
TURMERIC!
I use turmeric with my patients almost on a daily basis. As someone who focuses a lot on pain management the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric (curcumin) are incredibly useful in cases of:
- Arthritis (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis)
- Plantar fasciitis
- Gastritis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- And on, and on, and on....
While the dosages in this soup are not precise or near therapeutic value it is a prime example of how you can let food be your medicine!
As always, stay happy and healthy!
This post is intended for educational purposes only and should not be substituted for medical advice.