5 Anti-Inflammatory Holiday Soups for Brain & Body
Holidays can be stressful. Sugar, heavy meals, and disrupted sleep often leave you feeling foggy or fatigued. Instead of restrictive detoxes, soups offer gentle nourishment that helps your brain and body recover.
Soups provide:
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Stable blood sugar → more steady energy
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Reduced inflammation → clearer thinking and calmer mood
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Detox support → fiber and phytonutrients help the liver and gut
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Convenience → meal prep makes eating brain-healthy easy
Moreover, soups allow you to eat more greens, beans, crucifers, and herbs, which are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
These soups feature brain-nourishing building blocks:
- carbs from plants — greens, beans, onions, crucifers, rainbow vegetables & herbs
- spices with powerful anti-inflammatory compounds
ProTip:
Add spices early (to release beneficial oils through heat + fat).
Add fresh herbs at the end (to preserve color, flavor, and micronutrients).
How to make this habit stick
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double the batch to enjoy all week
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freeze in mason jars for quick single servings
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pair with protein if you need more staying power
🧠 Brain-Nourishing Habit:
Soups make it easier to eat more plants, more colors, more spices — without overthinking.
Winter Detox Moroccan Sweet Potato Lentil Soup – Little Spice Jar

Flavorprint: cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric
Benefits: blood sugar balance + detox support + warming spices
This soup is fragrant and nourishing. It’s easy to prepare in a slow cooker or on the stove.
Variations:
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Swap sweet potato for butternut squash
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Use canned beans instead of lentils
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Add ground turkey or beef for extra protein
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Top with mint and pistachios
Tumeric Broth Detox Soup – Feasting at Home
Flavorprint: turmeric, ginger, garlic, cumin, cinnamon
Brain & body benefits: turmeric + ginger support inflammation pathways connected to mood, memory & immune balance
This bright golden broth is an easy base to personalize throughout the week:
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add greens + legumes
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add leftover chicken, rice + spinach
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add shrimp + rice noodles for a nourishing brain-healthy protein boost
🧠 Brain Health Insight:
Turmeric’s active compound curcumin supports neuroplasticity and antioxidant pathways — which are both impacted by holiday stress and sugar.
Green Goddess Soup – Gimme Some Oven

Ever since she was a toddler, my daughter would ask for sopa verde (green soup). To this day it’s still one of her favorites.
Flavorprint: triple greens + lemon
Benefits: gut and liver support + anti-inflammatory
Broccoli, spinach, onions, and beans help feed your gut microbiome. Lemon adds flavor and detox support.
Add for texture & nutrient density:
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sunflower or pumpkin seeds
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chopped cilantro or parsley
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lemon zest for extra detox-supportive flavonoids
Roasted Cauliflower Soup – Lemon Blossoms

Flavorprint: roasted cauliflower, garlic, onion, thyme, bay leaf, nutmeg, lemon
Benefits: anti-inflammatory + detoxification + immune support + gut-brain nourishment
I’m obsessed with the creamy, comforting deliciousness of this soup. Cauliflower is a powerhouse cruciferous vegetable that supports detoxification, immune health, and inflammation reduction. It’s rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and sulforaphane, helping protect the body from oxidative stress. Its high fiber content promotes healthy digestion and gut function, while the abundance of phytonutrients supports the immune system — keeping you resilient during the busy holiday season.
Health-boosting ingredients in this soup:
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Garlic: sulfur compounds support detox pathways and reduce inflammation
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Onion: antioxidants fight oxidative stress and support immunity
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Bay leaf: aids digestion and supports detoxification
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Thyme: antimicrobial, rich in antioxidants to reduce inflammation
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Nutmeg: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, supports digestion and circulation
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Lemon: brightens flavor and adds vitamin C for immune support
Together, these ingredients create a flavorful, nutrient-dense powerhouse that’s perfect for nourishing your body and brain during the holidays.
Drizzle with olive oil or a sprinkle of roasted seeds for extra healthy fats and texture. Freeze leftovers in mason jars for an easy grab-and-go brain-healthy meal.
Serving Tip:
Drizzle with olive oil or a sprinkle of roasted seeds for extra healthy fats and texture. Freeze leftovers in mason jars for an easy grab-and-go brain-healthy meal.
Peruvian Seafood Stew with Cilantro Broth – Feasting at Home

Flavorprint: cilantro, garlic, peppers, lime
Brain & body benefits: omega-3s + detox-supportive herbs + protein for steady blood sugar
Shrimp are a source of EPA + DHA essential fatty acids, which support cognitive function and inflammation balance — both especially important during disrupted holiday routines.
Cilantro contains polyphenols and flavonoids that support the body’s natural detox systems and may help reduce oxidative stress. Its bright flavor also lifts mood through sensory pleasure — which is a nutrient!
What’s Your Favorite Brain-Healthy Soup?
Share a recipe link or tag me if you make one — your ideas help others nourish resilience too.
For More Empowerment
25 Foods for Detox: Eat This Not That
The Ultimate Detoxification Foods: Dr. Mark Hyman
Updated – originally posted December 2020










