Are Corn Flour Soup Good For Weight Loss? (Health Benefits and Diet Soup Recipe)

The age-old conundrum of what is good for weight loss and what not is subject to widespread debate. Today, the topic that is central to our article is that of soup, and more specifically, ones that are made of corn flour. 

Then comes the thickening agent. Some soups use all-purpose flour, some use wheat flour and some are thickened using corn flour. When it comes to the base, you can’t go wrong. But the question here is : Are Corn Flour Soup Good For Weight Loss?

So, to answer the question right off the bat, yes. Corn flour soup is good for weight loss. Why? Keep reading our article and find out. 

What is Corn Flour? 

Corn flour is obtained by grinding whole corn kernels into a thin powder which provides the body with considerable protein, starch, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals generally found in whole corn. It is a white powder and is produced by a range of different brands in Pakistan. 

Benefits of Corn flour soup 

Low in calories 

Soups made with this thickening agent are lower in calories as compared to those made with wheat or all-purpose flour. And since calories are the foremost important factor with the goal of weight loss in mind, this soup is ideal. 1 tbsp. of corn flour only has about 31 calories. 

Highly satiating 

Next, corn flour soups are very satiating. Since corn flour is essentially ground whole corn kernels, they contain high fiber amounts which help you keep hunger at bay by making you feel fuller for longer. This is beneficial for weight loss since it aids in keeping a calorie deficit in your diet. 

Contains protein 

Protein is one of the 3 main macronutrients and the most essential when it comes to losing weight. This is because it helps repair your body and promotes growth, and also keeps you highly satiated for longer periods of time. Since corn is known to have proteins, corn flour soup is a great source for weight loss. 

Many other nutrients 

In addition to the various benefits stated above, corn flour also contains magnesium, B vitamins, iron, and potassium, all very essential nutrients that help in growth and regeneration as well as nourish your body from the inside out.

Thickening agent 

Corn flour as a thickening agent is can also be good for weight loss due to its high starchy carbohydrate content. Carbohydrates provide the body with energy to carry out daily tasks. When losing weight, your body is running on a calorie deficit making it quite easy for you to feel slow and burnt out. This burnout can be curbed with corn flour soup. 

Good for gut health 

Using all-purpose flour and wheat flour is often not suitable for people that have a gluten intolerance. Corn flour, on the other hand, is gut-friendly and saves you the pain of bloating and other symptoms related to intolerance. 

How to include corn flour soup in your diet? 

There are a couple of ways as well as meal times by way of which the soup can be included in your diet. Generally, soups make for fulfilling meals when eaten as lunch or dinner. There are also many side portions that can be eaten with a soup such as whole-grain bread and crackers etc.

The soup alone is an insufficient meal since it is largely composed of low-calorie vegetables that are not very satiating. Therefore, when making soup, make sure to pair it with a starchy carbohydrate source such as bread, or use some type of protein. 

Proteins that you can inculcate into your soup can be in the form of chicken, lentils, tofu, etc. These proteins will help keep you fuller for longer and curb extra cravings, especially at night time. In addition, they taste great and will make your soup all the more delicious. 

How to make corn flour soup? 

Now let’s address the most important question. What do you add to a corn flour soup? To answer in short, as long as whatever you add is in moderation and tastes good, it is permissible. However, to get the optimum weight loss results that you are seeking, you should probably think this part through. 

First off, let’s talk protein. No soup is ever complete without some source of protein. This protein can come from a range of nutrients such as direct sources like chicken, beef, and egg, or indirect sources such as peas, corn, lentils, etc. Here is a recipe built around protein. 

Next, let’s consider vegetables. These can be chosen from a wide range starting from root vegetables like carrots and onions to stem vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, spinach, and bell peppers. Finely chop all your chosen vegetables and add them to the broth. Click here to get your hands on a vegetable soup recipe. 

And finally, let’s discuss the corn flour itself. The amount that you need to add to your pot of soup depends largely on how many servings you are making. Usually, 1 tbsp. of corn starch is optimal for one cup of liquid. This will give you a thin to medium consistency, whereas 2 tbsps. per cup will give you a thicker consistency.

Method 

To make the perfect soup, mix one tbsp. of corn flour with a tbsp. of room temperature water and add this to your broth. Bring this mixture to a boil and cook until your desired thickness is reached. Since corn flour adds a more gelatinous texture to your soup, make sure you add only a tsp at a time to avoid a goopy sauce. 

Some extra suggestions 

Don’t overdo it. As you cook your soup, watch closely on its consistency and measure how much corn flour you’re adding carefully. You don’t want an ultra-thick soup that ultimately looks like gravy. 

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Trial and error is great cooking’s best friend. Don’t shy away from adding different components to your soup, and mixing different recipes. Try and find whatever combinations work best for your body. Weight loss is a testing process, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring and tasteless. 

Lastly, make sure whatever you add to your soup is in moderation and you are not using too much sodium. Many of my clients often add too much salt which is bad news for cholesterol. In addition, make sure to measure as you prepare, depending on the servings you need to make. 

Conclusion 

Corn flour soup is very weight loss-friendly and can be included in your diet for rapid results. Not only is it really healthy, but the soup tastes absolutely delicious if the right recipe is used. When combined with other weight-loss strategies and meal plans, this method is sure to help you shed those extra pounds. So hurry up and whip yourself a bowl for your next meal. For more information about meal plans ideal for weight loss, contact us. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is corn flour?

Corn flour is essentially made from the grinding of entire corn kernels into a thin and fine powder. It is a great source of starch, protein, fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins, iron, potassium, magnesium, and many other nutrients. 

Is corn flour and cornstarch the same?

In general terms, yes, corn flour and cornstarch are one and the same, i.e., a product of very finely powdered corn, and both can be used as substitutes for each other while making thickening sauces the only difference is that corn flour is made from the whole kernel of the corn, whereas cornstarch is made only from the ground endosperm.

What’s the difference between corn flour and normal flour?

Cornstarch is pure starch, and thus, has twice the thickening power of flour. This is because flour is only partly starch. Thus, almost twice as much flour as needed to achieve the same thickening as that which is achieved using cornstarch.

Furthermore, using flour as a thickener will likely make the sauce opaquer and cloudier whereas cornstarch will leave a more translucent and shiny finish.

Does corn flour have gluten in it?

Corn flour essentially comes from whole corn kernels which are more commonly known as maize, and thus, does not contain agents that aid the development of gluten. This makes it gluten intolerance friendly and also very healthy for the gut.

How can I use corn flour?

Corn flour is most commonly used as a thickener for stews, soups, and other sauces to top over food. But that’s not all. Corn flour can also be used to make a simple sweet pudding with milk and sugar.

Make sure to make a paste of correctly measured corn flour with a dash of cold water before finally adding it to a hot broth or stew.