Could soup be a runner's best friend?

bowl of soup
Ready for a run? A pre-run bowl of soup can boost your nutrients and hydration.
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Soup probably isn't the first food that comes to mind as nourishment for runners. And while it may seem like an odd selection, it's an option that's highly recommended.

There are a number of reasons why soup is welcome cuisine for sprinters and long-distance runners, alike. For starters, it's a great way to meet your nutritional needs -- particularly if you're also on a weight-loss regimen. Eating soup before your regular meal can help you reduce caloric intake by about 20 percent overall [source: Girdwain]. Soup also allows you to mix together a number of ingredients, making it easier to combine protein, fiber and carbohydrates into one dish.

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Another advantage to eating soup is that it can aid your body in hydration. Researchers have found that runners who ate chicken noodle soup before a run in hot weather had better hydration and electrolyte levels after the run than the runners who drank only water [source: Applegate]. The scientists believe this was because the salt content of the soup caused the runners to consume more water during the run.

On a more instinctual level, soup can also offer relief after a run. Especially in colder weather, it can be the ultimate comfort food -- providing warmth for body and soul.

If you'd like to try your hand at soup making, you're likely to find dozens of recipes suggested by the readers and contributors of online running publications and forums. There are also plenty of cookbooks that focus on healthy cooking.

However, if you're not one to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you can opt for canned soup. You'll find that there are many options -- including a lot of healthy versions -- on supermarket shelves. Just be sure you read labels to ensure you're not getting an overly fattening soup with low nutritional value.

Of course, if you run in hot weather a lot, you may prefer to forgo soup for the options discussed on the next page.

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Cool Alternatives to Soup

It's a hot, humid day. You've just finished an exhausting, depleting run. What's the first food you think of having? Chances are, it's not soup. Even before a hot-weather run, the idea of raising your body temperature is not a desired option. However, as we mentioned on the previous page, soup does have some wonderful nutritional and hydration benefits, both pre- and post-run. So what's a summer runner to do?

Fortunately, there are alternatives that can provide you with some of the benefits of soup, but in a much cooler way.

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The most obvious choice, if you're trying to gain some of the previously discussed advantages, is to eat chilled soups. There are a number of chilled soups that are as delicious as they are nutritious. A classic one is gazpacho, a Spanish tomato-based dish. Yogurt-based soups that prominently feature cucumber or avocado are also popular chilled soups to try.

We have lots more information for runners on the next page.

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Lots More Information

Related Articles

  • Nutritional Training for Runners
  • What should you eat before a long run?
  • Smart Energy Snacks for Runners

  • Applegate, Liz. "News You Can Use." Runner's World. November 2008. (Aug. 27, 2012) http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7120,s6-242-301--12900-0,00.html
  • Dikos, Jackie. "Soup's On." Running Times. (Aug. 27, 2012) http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=18109
  • Girdwain, Jessica. "Bowled Over." Runner's World. Dec. 2011. (Aug. 27, 2012) http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7120,s6-242-301--14111-0,00.html
  • Silverstein, Clara. "Frozen Assets." Runner's World. Sept. 12, 2006. (Aug. 27, 2012) http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7120,s6-242-301--10296-0,00.html

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