Is Red Bean Soup Healthy? (3 Tips for Weight Loss) 

Red bean soup or “hong dou tong” is a popular Chinese sweet soup that is made out of red beans.

It is usually served as a refreshing cold treat in the summer and as a hearty, hot soup in the winter.

But, the question is, is red bean soup healthy?

Red Bean Soup is actually a healthier alternative to other dessert options as it contains less carbs coming from sugar and has lots of fiber coming from the red beans. 

However, it is a dish that is easily overeaten so portion control is necessary in order to stay within a healthy range of calories.

Being a minimalist with wholesome ingredients, Red Bean Soup is a fairly healthy option when compared to other dessert choices such as cakes and buns. But, due to its sugar content, it is still ideal to consume red bean soup with moderation.

There are a couple things to consider when trying to incorporate red bean soup into a weight loss or health journey.

Here are three key points you should follow if you want to enjoy some red bean soup without compromising your weight loss or health journey. 

1. Make sure to moderate your daily carbohydrate and calorie intake. 

2. Make your own red bean soup at home. 

3. Don’t eat red bean soup too frequently. 

Since red bean soup isn’t terribly unhealthy for you, it is very easy to incorporate it into your diet and still have you lose weight  as long as you look out for these tips. 

Tip 1: Moderate your daily carbohydrate and calorie intake. 

Red bean soup is usually made out of very simple and wholesome ingredients.

The three main ingredients that are always used to make a solid, classic red bean soup are: red beans, dried tangerine or orange peels, and rock sugar. 

Red beans and dried peels are obviously very good for you.

Red beans especially are extremely beneficial because they are packed with nutrients such as dietary fiber, protein, B vitamins, iron, and potassium while being low in fat.

The most beneficial part of red bean in terms of weight loss is its dietary fiber and protein content. 

These two when consumed together helps regular blood sugar levels which helps you feel fuller for longer.

Not only that a diet that is higher in protein helps you build and maintain lean muscle mass which increases your metabolism. 

Protein also has the highest thermic effect when compared to other macronutrients such as carbohydrates and fats, which leads your body to burn more energy to digest and absorb it.

So red beans are an ideal food to consume when trying to lose weight or lead a healthy lifestyle. 

The one thing that makes red bean soup slightly less healthy is the rock sugar. 

Rock sugar is crystallized cane sugar that is milder in taste when compared to other sugars, meaning that it is less sweet.

It is a very popular sugar choice in Asian cuisine for sweetening teas and soups. 

While it is slightly healthier than other sugars, when you are trying to lose weight, it is better to keep your sugar intake as low as possible.

Sugar is one of the biggest contributors to overall carbohydrate intake and it doesn’t take a lot of it to contribute a significant amount. 

So, when it comes to red bean soup, in order to make sure that you are still on track for weight loss, you need to make sure you are not consuming too many carbohydrates.

Therefore, when drinking red bean soup, take into consideration what you have eaten beforehand and if you know you are going to drink red bean soup, limit your intake on other possible carbohydrates throughout the day. 

Fill up on more protein so then it will be easier to feel full after one serving of red bean soup. 

While looking out for your carbohydrate intake is important, the most important factor at the end of the day is your overall caloric intake.

So if you want to enjoy some red bean soup, make sure to count it into your daily intake and continue to keep track of your other foods to make sure your overall intake is at a deficit.

A good base deficit for males is 1,800 calories and 1,500 calories for females. 

You can go even lower if you want a more aggressive approach but do not go below 1,200 calories because going too low for too long will damage your metabolism and that is something we want to avoid! 

Tip 2: Make your own red bean soup at home. 

A traditional red bean soup is fairly healthy but it is hard to tell what exactly goes into the soup when going to different restaurants.

Some might replace rock sugar for cheaper sugar sources such as high fructose corn syrup and some might add more ingredients into the red bean soup such as tapioca pearls which is not good for your health and adds to the overall calories. 

By making your own red bean soup at home, you are able to know exactly what goes into it and you can have a more accurate calorie count by measuring the ingredients yourself. 

One way to make red bean soup super healthy, but definitely not a popular option, is to make it with no sugar.

By making it with no sugar, you reap all the benefits of red bean soup with no downsides to it at all. 

This could help you satisfy your cravings without guilt! But of course, an unsweetened red bean soup is just not the same.

So if you are craving sweetness, then another way to make it healthier at home is to substitute with other sugars such as agave syrup or honey!

You also have control of how sweet you want to so how much sugar you put in is all in your hands. 

A good tip is to cut the sugar by ½ or even ¼ to really minimize your sugar intake while still satisfying your craving for sweet red bean soup.

Knowing what exactly went into something you are consuming is always the best option when trying to stay on track.

But if it is a treat day for you and making it at home seems tedious, then by all means a restaurant made red bean soup wouldn’t be too bad.

Tip 3: Don’t Consume Red Bean Soup Frequently

Although not the worst for you compared to other calorically dense desserts, red bean soup should still be consumed in moderation.

Just because it is fairly healthy does not mean that it should be a part of your everyday diet if you are trying to stay on a weight loss or health journey, especially if the red bean soup isn’t home made.

For red bean soup I would suggest not more than 3 servings a week and if you do buy your red bean soup as opposed to making it yourself, it would be beneficial to ask what type of ingredients they use and make sure that nothing more is added to it besides the red bean. 

If you do like having additional ingredients such as mochi balls and tapioca pearls in your soup, then I would suggest having it no more than once a week because additional topping does add a significant amount of carbohydrates and calories while not adding to the overall nutritional value. 

The most important reason why you don’t want to drink red bean soup too frequently is because you want to lower your sugar intake for a healthier lifestyle.

Too much sugar can lead to a number of problems for your body and can cause weight gain if not controlled.

So, make sure to eat it in moderation and track what kind of foods make up the majority of your diet 

There you have it!

Three tips to keep in mind when you are craving some sweet red bean soup while on a weight loss or health journey.

At the end of the day, as long as you are in a caloric deficit, you will lose weight and if you are eating everything in moderation, you will be on the path for a healthy lifestyle. 

Not only is watching what you eat is important but building some muscles and working on some resistance training is very important for your health too!

Not only does it help you burn excess calories which will help with weight loss but having more lean muscle mass leads to more energy, better posture, less visceral fats, and a faster metabolism! 

Strength training is one of the best things you can do for your health and you don’t have to get a whole gym membership to do it!

All you need is a couple solid pieces of equipment and you are set for a solid strength training base that you can right at the comfort of your own home.

If you are looking for all the best strength training equipment check out 

https://www.aspirefitnesswalnut.com/home-workout-equipment 

Now that you have these tips, go and enjoy that comforting and delicious bowl of sweet red bean soup.

Part of a healthy life is also enjoying the little pleasures too so don’t stop yourself from these delectable treats once in a while.

As long as you keep everything in moderation, you are on the right track to a healthy lifestyle. 

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