Minestrone Soup
The time-honoured country vegetable soup handed down through Italian generations for warmth and wellbeing. It is full of courgette, carrot, white beans, celery and tomato with a light sprinkle of small pasta. Its glycemic index is excellently low (≈39), and it is a model dish for metabolic fitness and steady glucose.
Glycemic index
Glycemic load
Calories
Protein
💡 Smart Nutritional Guidance
Consumption advice
A wonderful, comforting dish to start lunch or dinner; the dense fibre and warm liquid fill the stomach and send early fullness signals to the brain, which helps prevent overeating the richer dishes that follow.
Best preparation methods
Simmer the vegetables so they keep a slight bite (al dente) rather than turning mushy, and focus on more beans and leafy greens with as little pasta as possible.
Important Nutritional Note
The beans in minestrone are rich in soluble fibre and folate, which makes this soup supportive of healthy gut bacteria (the microbiome) and of healthy cholesterol levels.
Nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per typical portion (300 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 82 kcal | 246 kcal |
| Protein | 3.8 g | 11.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 13 g | 39 g |
| Available carbohydrate | 9.8 g | 29.4 g |
| Fat | 2 g | 6 g |
| Dietary fibre | 3.2 g | 9.6 g |
The typical portion is approximate, for comparison purposes.
Comparison & smarter alternatives
Among the foods in Italian dishes with a glycemic index (9), it ranks 1 (lowest first). This is one of the lowest-GI foods in its group.
Lower-GI alternatives:
Frequently asked questions
Is Minestrone Soup good for weight loss?
It can be included in moderation: it contains 3.2 g of fibre per 100 g, which supports fullness, and a 300 g portion gives 246 kcal.
How does Minestrone Soup affect blood sugar?
Its glycemic index is 39 (Low), a clinically reviewed estimate rather than a laboratory measurement. A typical 300 g portion has a glycemic load of 11.5 (Medium), so it is best combined with protein or fibre-rich vegetables.
What is the nutritional value of a typical portion of Minestrone Soup?
A typical 300 g portion of Minestrone Soup provides about 246 kcal, 11.4 g protein, 39 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat and 9.6 g fibre.
Reviewed by the WiBo Health medical team · Last reviewed 13 October 2026
Disclaimer: This guidance is for nutritional lifestyle orientation and does not constitute a diagnostic medical device under EU Regulation MDR 2017/745.