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It's easy to get answers about health and nutrition! Just send your question by email to [email protected] and Dr. Harlan will respond to selected questions of general interest. Answers will be posted in the Ask Dr. Gourmet newsletter (sign up now!) and archived in the Ask Dr. Gourmet section of the website.

Please note that the Ask Dr. Gourmet feature is restricted to questions regarding food and nutrition. Due to the many questions we receive, not all questions may be answered. For more specific questions about your individual health, please contact your doctor. About Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

 


 

Ask Dr. Gourmet

Should I include the water when I calculate calories for soups?

I really enjoy making low calorie, healthy soups at home. With these, I always calculate the number of calories per serving by adding the calories of all of the ingredients, and then dividing by the number of servings. My question is... do I need to account for the amount of water I put in the recipe, or will that be automatically changed by the number of servings that the recipe makes?

Dr. Gourmet Says...

a bowl of pasta fagioli with chicken

The great news is that the soups that you are making are usually just as you say - low calorie and healthy. It's also great that you are calculating and keeping track of your calories. We know that this is one of the best ways to stay healthy.

Even better news is that the water doesn't have calories so you don't have to worry about adding this in to your calculation.

Thanks for writing,

Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP
Dr. Gourmet