Many health problems are linked to inflammation. This is the reason for a variety of chronic illnesses, including fibromyalgia, arthritis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Finding a way that will overcome the inflammation in your body is the best way to improve your health.
While there are medications around that will help, they are not foolproof or healthy for long-term use. You will want to find natural ways to reduce the inflammatory response within your body. The great news is there are plenty of natural foods that will help to support your overall health, reducing the response and improving the health and life of your nerves.
You can mix and match the natural ingredients for long-term benefits. These soup recipes will certainly help reduce inflammation, whatever the reason.
Why Do Our Bodies Become Inflamed?
Before we consider six soup recipes, it is worth understanding more about inflammation. It is a natural response by the immune system, as a way to promote healing in the body. However, the body can get confused over some elements in the body, especially some food. The immune system reacts even though it does not need to.
When the body cannot get rid of the reason for the immune system attacking (as the particles are not invaders), the inflammatory response continues to remain active. You need to find a way to cut down on that response and return the body back to its normal healthy self.
But Why Use Soups?
Why natural ingredients can be used in many other ways, there are a few reasons to opt for soups. The main one is the warmth.
When you feel warm, you can relax your body. Your muscles and tissues relax, meaning there is less pressure throughout the body. Stress hormones reduce, helping to remove some of the reasons for the inflammatory response.
Soup is also a liquid, making it much easier for the body to digest food. When your immune system is acting, your digestive system becomes sluggish. After all, most of your immune system is housed within the digestive system! If the body cannot break down the food, the immune system remains compromised, and that inflammatory response remains high.
By getting more of the nutrients, you stand a stronger chance of reducing the inflammation within the body. You also do it in a way that soothes the digestive system, since it does not have to work as hard. This is excellent when you have chronic bowel and digestive problems.
Finally, soup is filling. Your body knows that you are eating, especially with chunky soup, unlike when drinking smoothies. The meal is packed with fiber to support the health of the digestive system and reduce other health problems.
Now all you need at the soup recipes that will help to reduce inflammation in your body. The great news is these six are suitable for all and offer a range of other health benefits.
Crockpot Soup for Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
You will not always feel like cooking when you get in from work. If you are having a chronic pain flare-up, you do not want to spend time standing at the stove waiting for ingredients to cook. Well, you do not have to. This anti-inflammatory soup is a taste one created with the Crockpot. It is perfect for late and nights.
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups of chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- ¾ cup of carrots, chopped
- ½ cup of celery, chopped
- 3 cups of broth
- 1tbsp ground turmeric
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/2tsp dried oregano
- 1tbsp dried basil
- 1 can of coconut milk
Method:
- Mix everything except the coconut milk in the slow cooker, on high for 4 hours/on low for 6 hours
- Pour into a blender and pulse until at the consistency you prefer
- Add the coconut milk and blend for another minute, just to combine
- Garnish with some olive oil when ready to serve
If you have an immersion blender, this is a great way to get through the whole soup in one go. Otherwise, you will need to blend it in batches. This soup works well both completely smooth or with some chunky bits of vegetables. You will still get all the same health benefits.
Ginger, Turmeric, and Broccoli Soup
Ginger and turmeric are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. You want to add them to as many recipes as you can when you are suffering a flare-up of a condition. The best thing is you can usually add them to plain hot water, but they taste excellent in most of soups.
This is another Crockpot recipe, so you have something ready for you when you get home.
Ingredients:
- 2tbsp butter
- 4 cups of chopped leeks
- 2tbsp fresh chopped ginger
- 8 cups of broccoli florets
- 1tsp ground turmeric
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1tbsp sesame oil
- 6 cups of broth
Method:
- Melt the butter over a medium heat
- Add the leeks and cook for 8 minutes, until cooked through
- Transfer to your Crockpot and add in the rest of the ingredients
- Cook for 3-4 hours on a low setting, until the broccoli is tender
- Blend all the ingredients until you get soup for your consistency
This is delicious when served with crusty bread and a dollop of yogurt on the top. Make sure you use Greek or Natural yogurt to avoid extra added sugars that will counter with the anti-inflammatory properties of the other ingredients.
You will need to cook the soup on a low setting. It is easy to burn the broccoli in this.
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Soup
If you are suffering from inflammation, there are high chances that gluten is a problem. You will naturally want to look for recipes that do not include any of the protein. Even if you are not gluten intolerant, you may want a more natural, healthier diet and that means looking for non-gluten options. This is the recipe for you.
It is also a dairy free and vegan-friendly recipe! It is one of the hobs, but you can put it all in the slow cooker if you want.
Ingredient:
- 4tbsp oil
- 1 onion, cubed
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- A pinch of both cloves and cinnamon
- 1tbsp curry powder
- 1tsp cayenne pepper
- 1tsp ground turmeric
- 3 sweet potatoes, cubed
- 2 white potatoes, cubed
- 1lt vegetable broth, low sodium preferably
- 4 cups of hot water
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 can of coconut milk
Method:
- Place the oil in a large pot and then add the onion, cooking for 5 minutes on a low heat
- Add the seasoning and garlic, stirring well
- Add in the potatoes, cooking for 5 minutes and continually stirring
- Add the broth and water and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat to simmer for about 10 minutes and then add the zucchini
- Simmer for another 10-15 minutes and then add the coconut milk, stirring to combine and using a fork to check the potatoes are soft
- Pour into a blender and pulse until as much as you like is pureed
This is delicious garnished with some cayenne pepper and some herbs of choice. The cayenne pepper will work with the curry powder, garlic, onions, and turmeric to reduce the inflammation in the body almost instantly.
One Pot Vegetable Soup
What about when you want to keep the washing up to a minimum? You need a one-pot soup. This vegetable soup is not only delicious but filling. It also uses a variety of colored vegetables and herbs, adding plenty of nutrients to your body. You will reduce inflammation and boost your immune system health instantly.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of purple cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup of carrots, grated
- 2 cups of kale, stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup of celery, chopped
- 3 cups of broccoli florets
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- ½ cup of lemon juice
- ¼ cup of vegetable broth
- 6 cups of water
- 1/4tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4tsp cayenne pepper
- 1tsp ground turmeric
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method:
- Place a pot over medium heat and add in the carrots, celery, ginger, and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes
- Add the broccoli, tomatoes, and some salt and pepper, cooking for 3-5 minutes
- Add the broth and water, and then cover to bring the pot to a boil
- Reduce heat to simmer
- Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine
- Simmer for 10-15 minutes
The vegetables should be soft to eat. There is no need to blend this soup. You want all the colors to shine through while you eat to help your mental health. Looking at the mix of colors will make your brain happier, which helps to reduce the stress hormones and get rid of inflammation.
Perfect Fall Thai Pumpkin Soup
The fall months are the perfect time for squash soups. This is when you want the sweeter flavors, brighter colors, and warmer liquids. Pumpkin soup is a no-brainer. However, did you realize that it can also help to boost your immune health? This is especially the case when you mix with ginger, turmeric, chili and more to help reduce inflammation.
On top of the benefits for the immune system, pumpkin is filling and naturally gluten-free! You are in a win-win situation.
Ingredients:
- 600g of pumpkin, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups of vegetable broth
- ½ cup of coconut milk
- Oil of choice for frying and roasting
- 1tbsp (heaped) lemongrass, only white part chopped fine
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, chopped
- 1tsp cumin seeds
- 1tsp coriander seeds
- 1in red chili, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 1in fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1in fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- Black pepper to taste
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 300F and line a baking tray with foil or parchment paper
- Toss the pumpkin in oil and then line on the tray, roasting until golden
- Heat the oil in a pot and fry the shallots until golden
- Add the cumin and coriander, cooking until fragrant
- Add the kaffir leaves, turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, and chili, cooking for another minute, stirring to avoid burning
- Add in the pumpkin with stock, and then cover and allow to boil
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes
- Add the coconut milk and increase the heat again to bubble for 5-10 minutes; the liquid should reduce slightly
- Remove from the heat, but allow to cook within the pot for a little longer
Serve with some fresh coriander and lime wedges. You can also serve with some bread or crackers if you are not bothered about a gluten-free diet.
If you do not like pumpkin soup alone, add in some sweet potatoes, other squashes, or zucchinis to help add a slightly bitter flavor.
Carrot and Ginger Soup
You have likely heard of carrot and coriander soup, but it is time to opt for carrot and ginger. The ingredients together will quickly boost your health and blend perfectly. This will take just over two hours to make, as there is some roasting required.
It is a paleo friendly recipe, as well as being vegan-friendly. While you will know the ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, so does the carrot. There are also beta carotenes within carrots to boost the immune system in many other ways.
Ingredients:
- 2lbs of carrots
- 7tbsp oil, divided
- 1 yellow onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ cups of coconut milk
- 1tbsp ground turmeric
- 1 1/2tsp salt
- 1/2tsp cayenne pepper
- 1tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 lime, juiced
- 4-6 cups of water
- 2 fennel bulbs
- ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds
- 4tbsp chopped spring onions, greens only
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking tray with foil
- Coat the carrots with 2tbsp of the oil and place on the baking tray, roasting for 1 hour until tender
- Remove the carrots and increase the oven temperature to 400F
- Slice the fennel bulbs into slices and fry in 3tbsp oil and pinch of salt, until they soften
- Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the fennel is crispy
- Meanwhile, dice the onion and fry in the last 2tbsp of oil for 12 minutes
- Peel and crush the garlic and add it to the onions, cooking until fragrant
- Place the onion mixture with the carrots in a blender, pouring in the rest of the ingredients except the water, pumpkin seeds, and spring onions
- Blend until smooth, adding the water to thin it down as required
- Pour into a soup pan and heat through, adding more water if necessary
- Serve with the fennel, pumpkin seeds, and spring onions over the top
There is no need for anything else to be added when serving. This is warm and delicious all on its own.
Reduce the Inflammation Today
Start by making one of the soup recipes above. You will soon find the natural ingredients reduce the inflammation in your body. The best thing is you will not even feel like you are doing anything special. The soups soon become part of your normal meal plan.
