On chilly winter days, such as we have been experiencing lately, many individuals turn to “comfort foods,” those special dishes from childhood that fill both their tummies as well as their hearts with warmth and love. While a walk down the culinary memory lane can prove to be quite satisfying, such recipes from days gone by tend to be high in both calories as well as preparation time.

One of my childhood memories from frosty afternoons is enjoying a steaming cup of soup. My sister and I actually tried to spell creative words from the contents of our alphabet soup! While grocery aisles offered a limited variety of choices back then—not much other than alphabet soup, chicken noodle and the omnipresent cream of mushroom—today’s plethora of options offer something for every palate, even the supremely health-conscious consumer.

Keeping pace with America’s trend toward requesting low-salt options wherever possible, many canned soup companies have responded with varieties touting as much as a 40 percent reduction in their products’ sodium content. Flavor is enhanced with herbs and vegetables instead of added salt. The addition of lentils, split peas and beans to many soup varieties not only bumps up the protein content per serving, but adds a fiber boost as well. Such products are an excellent choice for those seeking to maintain a vegetarian diet, since the proteins are plant-based. If meats are more your style, “chunky-style” soups are a great source of animal protein, and are also usually packed with plenty of antioxidant-rich vegetables.

So, what makes soup a better choice than any other comfort food? There are several benefits to this warm sustenance, beginning with portion control. Bringing a can of soup to work takes the guesswork out of the size of your lunch. All of the nutrients you need for a meal could be contained in one delicious can of enjoyment.

Another aspect of soup that makes it ideal, especially for the weight-conscious among us, is its appetite-curbing appeal. A research study published in the November 2007 issue of the research journal Appetite reports that a group of volunteers who consumed a serving of soup before a meal ate 20 percent less during the meal than the group who didn’t eat soup. Due to its high volume of liquid, soup can help keep even a ravenous appetite in check.

Several soup companies have taken the convenience factor a step further by packaging their products in a “to-go”-style container. Since these soups are not housed in metal cans, they can simply be popped in the microwave, heated thoroughly, and enjoyed from the container with no fuss or extra dishes at all!

Since the chilly season seems bent on sticking around for at least a few more weeks, pick up a few cans of delicious, nutritious soup next time you are out shopping. Now, that’s a winner!