Amaranth, flaxseed and millet are the fantastic trio of ancient grains that make up our Ancient Grains soup! So, today I want to give you the low-down on all that these grains have to offer. Our Ancient Grains soup has been a Soupologie classic for quite a few years now. It’s an understated and quietly self-assured soup. The base is a light tomato flavour with a slight nuttiness from the grains. The beans add a soft texture and a beautiful mellow flavour, all seasoned to perfection.
What’s in a pot of our Ancient Grains soup?
Ancient Grains is one of our chunkier soups. The combination of diced veg, beans and generous grains is reminiscent of a slightly nutty minestrone. With the added benefit that all of our soups are plant-based, gluten-free, with no added sugar and low in salt!
Every pot of our Ancient Grains soup contains: Borlotti Beans, Carrots, Onions, Leeks, Water, Tomato Puree, Oil, Vegetable Stock, Millet, Golden Flaxseed, Amaranth, Salt, Parsley, Nutmeg and Black Pepper.
This soup is quite thick, extremely filling and tends to be polished off quickly! Part of the charm of Ancient Grains comes from our expertly crafted texture. The creaminess of the soup doesn’t come from any dairy, but a variety of the kidney bean – borlotti beans! So, we have perfected the balance of soft and creamy beans with the slight bite from the grains. This is accompanied by a smooth tomato base that envelopes it all. The inclusion of the plump and slightly sweet borlotti bean also contributes to this soup’s protein content. Plant power all the way!
Every 600g pot of our Ancient Grains soup provides the following: 118% Vitamin A; 33% Vitamin E; 35% Vitamin C; 94% Vitamin B1; 57% Vitamin B6; 202% Folate; 82% Potassium; 21% Calcium; 65% Phosphorus; 48% Magnesium; 43% Iron; 71% Copper; 55% Manganese; 24% Selenium.
I’ve got to mention the monumental amount of folate that this soup provides – meeting our daily requirement of folate contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. So this soup will leave you ready to face the day head on!
What’s so great about Flaxseeds?
This soup is unique because we were the first soup company to really harness the power of grains and seeds in a soup! So, let’s talk about flaxseeds (also called linseeds!) and what they can do for us. Our soup contains the golden variety of flaxseeds. However, you might have come across the brown variety when it comes to making a flaxseed egg replacement in vegan baking. One tablespoon of flaxseeds (about 7g) contains generous amounts of protein, fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, B6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. In just one tablespoon!
I want to stress the importance of flaxseeds as a plant-based source of omega-3 fats. Those of us who are vegetarian, vegan, or flexitarian won’t really be eating fish – fish is, of course, a good source of omega-3 fats. As a result, flaxseeds give us the opportunity to maintain our omega-3 in-take without compromising on our dietary choices. Flaxseeds are also rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is particularly essential to our diet as our bodies do not naturally produce ALA. Our bodies end up converting ALA into two omega-3 fatty acids – DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).
Studies suggest that an adequate intake of ALA may prevent deposits of cholesterol in the blood vessels found in our hearts. Research also suggests that people who consume more ALA have a lower risk of heart attacks, heart disease and strokes in comparison to people who consume less ALA.
What about Amaranth and Millet?
For those of us who are unfamiliar with amaranth, just think of it as a relative of quinoa! This grain is rich in protein and gluten-free too! It tastes slightly malty and nutty and is packed full of vitamins and minerals. Amaranth makes up one part of our Ancient Grains trio as the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs revered amaranth, and many other grains, for centuries due to its beneficial properties. One cup of cooked amaranth contains manganese (105% of your daily serving, to be precise!) as well as copper (18%), magnesium (40%), iron (29%), phosphorus (36%) and selenium (19%). Magnesium is involved in almost 300 vital reactions that take place in the body, including muscle contractions and the fusion of our DNA.
Millet is also gluten-free and contains a vast number of B vitamins. Millet is technically classified as a seed, but has been given the status of an “ancient grain” due to the fact that it has been cultivated and eaten in Europe, Africa and Asia for centuries and is easy to cook, like a grain.
Futhermore, millet contains calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, folate, vitamin B2, B3, B5, B6, C, E and K. All these minerals and vitamins in just one grain!
Vitamin B2 & B3 help to promote healthy eyes, skin, and nervous system, while also being essential for our metabolism. Vitamin B6 helps to create haemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that allows oxygen to be transported around the body.
Summary
We really pride ourselves in our uniqueness, and it’s not just down to the fact that we’re free-from the 14 main allergens and have entirely green nutritional traffic lights! We’re serious about offering naturally nourishing and delicious food for everyone.
Scouring the earth to find new ingredients not only expands our culinary palates, but it also allows us to offer a unique range of healthy and delicious soups! That’s where these ancient grains come in! I hope you’ve found today’s blog post insightful on how we create our soups and all the benefits that go into every single pot. Our next feature will focus on our Smoky Black Bean and Tomato Soup, so stay tuned!
You can find our Ancient Grains soup on Ocado and as part of our Variety Souperbox on our webstore too!
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Until next time,
Soupologie HQ x