Soups are a marvellous way to provide warmth and healing on cold and dreary winter days. The main benefits of soups are that they are inexpensive, wholesome and packed full of tasty nutrients that help boost immunity and alleviate many seasonal ailments.

Unlike dishes cooked by other methods, soups retain large amounts of vital vitamins and minerals and provide us with plenty of water to keep the body hydrated.

Soups as healing remedies have been used by people, including the Chinese, for centuries. Stock and broth were given routinely for most illnesses and beef tea was an ancient British remedy. These were nutritious and easy to digest, providing the invalid with essential fluids and minerals without adding strain on the digestive system.

Delicious soups can be made to treat many minor ailments. They are quick, easy to make and can be made in bulk and frozen. Below are some popular and tasty soup recipes that can also be used for specific problems.

Pumpkin and Carrot Soup
Early winter is a great time to purchase pumpkins cheaply and make a batch of delicious and nutritious soup. Pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that blocks free radicals, and may help prevent premature ageing. Some nutritionists also believe that increasing beta-carotene intake can result in younger looking skin.

Pumpkin seeds can be roasted and eaten as a delicious and healthy snack. The seeds contain Omega 6 fats, essential fatty acids that are converted into prostaglandins, hormones responsible for maintaining healthy water balance in the skin and helpful for itch, dry and inflamed skin.

Carrots are an excellent source of carotene and a host of vitamins (B1, B2, C, D and E), that help to heal and nourish the skin. They contain numerous nutritive elements that can stimulate the liver to remove toxins and assist the body in building natural immunity to colds, flu and infections.

To make the soup:
1 large, white onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
½ litre (approx) of vegetable stock
½ kg of pumpkin deseeded, peeled, and cubed
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons of cream or crème fraiche (optional)
A little grated, fresh ginger root (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste.

Gently fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add to a saucepan with the the pumpkin and carrots; pour in the stock until the vegetables are covered. Simmer until the vegetables are just tender. Liquidise with a hand blender and add cream/crème fraiche.

Season, stir well, seal and re-warm. Serve with warm granary or seeded bread.

The recipes for the soups can be modified by adding ingredients to suit particular ailments or your own personal tastes. Other ingredients which are beneficial and can be added to soups are:

• Parsley (rich in Vitamin C and boosts immunity).
• Parsnips (rich in many vitamins including Vitamin C and folic acid).
• Mushrooms (contain proteins, vitamins and minerals, amino acids, antibiotics and
  antioxidants). Shiitake mushrooms contain lentinan, which appears to stimulate the immune system and help fight infection. They have been used by the Chinese and Japanese to treat colds and flu for centuries.

Warming ingredients can be added for conditions that are exacerbated by cold, such as osteoarthritis, poor circulation and muscular aches and pains. Try adding small amounts of ginger root, turmeric and chillies to your soups to bring relief.

Article by Julie Burke
SPA.ITEC.Cert.Ed for Third Age.

Member of the Complementary Therapists Association
www.merrymeetcottage.weebly.com

Other Healing Winter Soups:
Chicken Soup
Tomato, Garlic & Herb Soup
Onion Soup
Beetroot Soup