What To Eat For Dinner First? Soup Or Food? Here Is The Answer

Last Updated on 2023-07-01 , 3:38 pm

Soup Before or After Meal: A Culinary Query Explored

The simple, humble soup, a delightful beginning to a meal in many culinary traditions worldwide, sparks an unexpected debate—should it be served as the precursor or the finale? This culinary conundrum: “Soup before or after meal,” has perplexed food enthusiasts and nutritionists alike. So, let’s take an entertaining gastronomic journey to explore why soup is served at the start of the meal and find out if it’s indeed the best time to drink soup.

Why Soup is Served First: A Time-Honored Tradition

When you immerse yourself in multi-course meal experiences at upscale restaurants, you’ll notice that waiters typically serve soup first. Once you’ve savored the last spoonful, they clear the space, setting the stage for the upcoming main course. But what about those cozy, flavorful Chinese meals, like chicken rice or wanton mee? These dishes often come accompanied by soup, usually consumed intermittently throughout the meal, or even polished off after the meal concludes. So, what’s the soup etiquette here? Which method correctly answers the burning question, “why do we drink soup before a meal”?

Soup Before Meal: The Healthful Start

From a health perspective, it’s often best to indulge in your soup first, making it the answer to the “best time to drink soup” question. Additionally, consider enjoying your soup along with your meal, interspersing bites of your entrée with sips of warm soup. Doing so can not only whet your appetite for the succeeding courses but also aid digestion, doubling the benefits of your delectable broth.

But hold on, we have an exception to consider in this soup saga. People often swallow rice with soup without proper chewing, given the rice’s soft texture, suitable for swallowing whole. This practice, however, can impede the digestive system’s efficiency, as the soup dilutes the gastric juices. Consequently, the stomach struggles to digest the partially-chewed rice, potentially leading to gastric disorders as your digestive system strives to break down the food!

Soup After Meal: A Digestive Dilemma?

So, should you opt for soup after meal? The consensus leans towards a resounding ‘no’. Drinking soup post-meal could dilute the gastric juices actively working on breaking down your food. This intrusion can disrupt the digestive process and may result in a stomachache, effectively deeming the period after meal not the best time to have soup.

With this exploration into the debate around soup before or after meal, you now have an answer to “what to eat for dinner first?” With clear health benefits and traditional practice on its side, it appears enjoying your soup before taking that last bite seems the most flavorful and beneficial course of action. So, the next time you’re faced with this gastronomic decision, remember to savor your soup before diving into the main course. After all, a good start sets the tone for a great ending!