Last Updated on June 18, 2016 by Michael Brockbank
Soups can do wonders when it comes to losing weight and remaining healthy. Of all of the cans I like, the Progresso Beef Barley soup ranks pretty high on my list. Although I am more of a tomato-based pasta fan, this product offers more of a healthy tone. As long as you monitor your sodium intake for the day, this may be a great addition to your lunch or dinner.
What Is Progresso Beef Barley Soup?
As the name implies, this is a beef and barley soup with a light smattering of veggies. For example, the can I ate today was loaded with carrots and celery. It’s more of a water-based soup than others, such as the Tomato Rotini or Creamy Tomato with Penne. While it may be better with more meat, it’s still a relatively good meal.
Why Should You Want Progresso Beef Barley Soup?
The beef barley soup is much lower in calories as many of its counterparts. In the “Traditional” can in front of me, there are only 100 calories per serving. If you’re like me, you’ll probably eat the whole can in one sitting. In reality, the entire can has almost half of the calories and approximately one-tenth the carbohydrates as a McDonald’s double cheeseburger from the dollar menu.
What Kind of Health Benefits Are In It?
Progresso Beef Barley soup is a good source for vitamin A. This component gives skin, vision and immune system benefits. It’s also an antioxidant, which means it helps eliminate toxins and cancers from the blood stream.
The high water content in the soup makes it easier to digest nutrients. As a result, the body absorbs what it needs much quicker. I will also help you pass food through the intestines. This may not have been by design but it’s still a benefit for health.
While the soup itself isn’t overloading with protein, there is 6g per serving. As it’s also lower in carbohydrates than other foods, it’s a much healthier alternative. One of the highlights to Progresso Beef Barley soup is the low levels of fats. As a whole, it only has 2g. It’s also low in sugars if you’re on a diet that needs this restriction.
Pros:
Here are some of the finer points to Progresso Beef Barley soup. Keep in mind that some of these points may be more personal preference than anything. However, I hope you find value in what I consider to be beneficial.
- Low calories per serving
- Low calories from fats
- Rich in vitamin A
- High water content to ease digestion
- Low fat content
- No MSG is added
- No artificial flavoring
- Good taste
- Made in the USA!
Cons:
Even some of the best things on the planet may have something wrong with them. Let’s be honest, it’s hard to come by perfection in terms of processed foods. Here are a few of the bad points to Progresso Beef Barley soup.
- High sodium – as does most other meat-based soups
- Could use more meaty content
- A bit more water than there needs to be
- Costs $2 per can
Will It Work to Help Lose Weight?
When it comes to losing weight, you need to consider the calorie and carb intake from eating this product. Personally, I rather like the idea of filling my stomach with 200 calories worth of nutrition. In my experience, I’ve been able to drop quite a few pounds when including soups in my daily routine. Although they can be a bit expensive when comparing other products, the cost is worth the health value to me.
Where Can You Get It?
Progresso Beef Barley can be bought at most grocery stores. I usually get mine from Walmart because the smaller stores don’t carry as grand of a selection. The biggest disappointment for me is how the price per can went up recently. It’s still a healthier alternative to soups like Chef Boyardee.
I am a big fan of all products made by Progresso. Although I would prefer a lower sodium level than the 670mg per serving in beef barley, it’s still one of my favorites. One of the things I think I would add is more meat and onion.
About Author
My name is CJ I work in the SICU in santa barbara ca, So, soup is a go because we can not afford to go over our break time. Today, I choose Beef Barley soup, but instead I got beef broth. I was missed on vegetables and the little noodles and 3 small bits of beef? I know you can do better because I have had better from this Progresso brand…. I’m just saying…
It happens. I don’t think I’ve ever had an empty can from Progresso, though. I once had a bag of air that was supposed to be Doritos.
Gotta love manufactired and processed foods. lol