Good soup comes from good stock and good health comes from good Soup. 

As a contributor to intotheSoup.com, I am excited to jump in and add my own twist to flavor this web site with tips on Food, Nutrition and Wellness. So, let’s begin with two extremely healthy elements, fish and (of course) soup.

It is still winter in Minnesota and will be for a while and ice fishing is all the rage. The need for warmth and liquids abound.  I have the day to myself, the radio is on my favorite station, and I am happy to play in the kitchen. I have never made fish stock before. I have made chicken stock and turkey stock.  Why not make fish stock?  How easy is this? 

As I prepare to take on this challenge, I consider what it is that makes fish broth the elixir of good health. We all know that fish is good for us. It is high in protein , low in fat  and rich in calcium and phosphorus, a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, potassium (a mineral needed for muscles, nerves, and fluid balance in the body), iodine, and magnesium.  

Of course there are those Omega-3 fatty acids we hear about. All fish have them, the best sources being fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, but what about them? According to… well, just about everybody, they are great for the cardiovascular system. They decrease the potential for heart disease, reduce blood pressure, help prevent arthritis and even promote healthy brain function. Who doesn’t need a healthier brain?

In addition, researchers found that fatty fish aid short-term memory; and that people who eat at least one meal of fish per week will be significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease; least two servings of fish per week to help prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Add to this the benefits of meat stocks in general. Containing many of the nutritious minerals that come from the cartilage prepare with a bit of wine or vinegar to help draw calcium, magnesium and potassium, we are talking about a boiling pot of healthy goodness.

Specifically, fish stocks are rich in iodine which is necessary for proper metabolism (converting food into energy) of cells and production of thyroid hormones. So, when ancient cultures prescribed fish stock to help with virility, they had something there.

In addition to the fish, there are all the healthy ingredients that go into the broth. The carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, fresh parsley and maybe a touch of salt, add the vitamins, the antioxidants and the phytochemicals with all of their protective and disease preventive properties. 

Finally, there is the love and time put into this wonderful concoction. The process itself is meditative, contemplative, and rejuvenating. All together, the combination is exactly what the Doctor (or Dietitian) ordered.

Good stock comes from adding the right elements and simmering them together for long periods of time to develop and blend the flavors. The ingredients do not require precision cutting or measuring and they are not difficult to find. Sometimes, they are items that are waiting to be used. Take the bones left from filleting fish, add some veggies, and you are off.

Once all the goodness is cooked out of the ingredients and they are carefully strained to capture only the precious liquid, here is the base for a great soup. Tasting is believing. Subtle mixtures of flavors all blended to sooth whatever ails your heart, head, or soul.  

Soup is a good thing. Soup will fit the bill for young and old. And, soup is packed with wonderful nutrients that promote your good health. So take stock in soup.   Get into it!   

 

Prepared for you by,

Carletta Rhen-Mlodzik RD

 

 

About Carletta

Carletta Rhen-Mlodzik RD has been practicing dietetics and has been a member if the American Dietetic Association for over 30 years. She is working as the Director of Food and Nutrition Services for a small Health Care setting in northern Minnesota. She has done consulting as well as worked in the Phoenix area in two large hospitals. She and her husband have two daughters, 17 and 19. They live on a small hobby farm with 5 horses, two dogs and several cats.    

 

Sources for this article are:

American Dietetic Association

Rush Institute for Healthy Aging

American Heart Association

British Medical Journal

Australian National Health and Medical Research Council

MedlinePlus