Light Spanish picadillo soup with chicken, egg, and ham

Why it is filling

This is the soup that opens Christmas lunch in many Spanish homes, made with a light broth and chicken so the protein does not rely on the ham alone. A bowl of hot soup at the start fills you with little, is eaten slowly, and goes down easily, which on a GLP-1 medication helps you ease into a long meal without overloading your stomach. The ham brings flavor and plenty of salt, so you will not need to add more.

In numbers, each serving has 18.4 g of protein and 0.5 g of fiber, with an energy density of 48 kcal per 100 g of the dish. In the satiety index by Holt and colleagues (1995), the foods that were most filling per calorie were those with more protein, fiber, and water and less fat.

High in protein

At least 15 g of protein per serving and 6 g per 100 kcal.

Easy to digest

A soft dish with little fat (20 g or less per serving) and no large amounts of ingredients that often cause gas or nausea. This is an editorial call, not a measurement.

Low energy density

100 kcal or less per 100 g of the dish: plenty of volume for few calories.

Hydrating

At least 85 g of water per 100 g of the dish, not counting cooking water.

If your appetite is small

• If you arrive with little appetite, have the broth with the egg and chicken and leave the noodles.
• Leftover broth freezes in small portions and makes a quick dinner in the days that follow.