Hot and sour soup vs. Egg Drop Soup — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Introduction

The famous Chinese soups, egg drop soup, and hot and sour soup are contrasted in this article.

A meat-based soup with seasonings, tofu, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots is called hot and sour soup.

You make egg drop soup by adding hot chicken broth to thinly beaten eggs. The soup occasionally might include tofu, peppers, and scallions. Egg drop soup can also be made with vegetable broth as the foundation. 

Ingredients

Hot and Sour Soup includes a variety of components like white vinegar, light and dark soy sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, and toasted sesame oil, along with unique add-ons such as tofu, bamboo shoots, and various mushroom types, resulting in a distinctive tangy and spicy flavor profile. Egg Drop Soup, on the other hand, centers around the simplicity of unsalted chicken stock or vegetable broth and the use of raw, beaten eggs to create thin, silky strands within the soup, along with the option of diverse garnishes like scallions, tofu, bean sprouts, and corn.

Egg drop soups and wonton soups are both high in salt. Both have about 900 mg of salt per cup or about 40% of the daily recommended intake (1).

Nutrition

The nutritional values for egg drop soup and hot and sour soup are presented in this article.

Soups are served in one-cup portions, which equal around 241g for egg drop soup and approximately 233g for hot and sour soup.

Macronutrients and Calories

Regarding nutrition, hot and sour soup and egg drop soup are comparable. But there is a little bit more protein and fat in hot and sour soup. In both, water makes up 91%.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Hot and sour soup

4

Protein: 2.58 g

Fats: 1.21 g

Carbs: 4.35 g

Water: 90.65 g

Other: 1.21 g

Egg Drop Soup

1

Protein: 1.16 g

Fats: 0.61 g

Carbs: 4.29 g

Water: 92.87 g

Other: 1.07 g

Contains more ProteinProtein	+122.4%
Contains more FatsFats	+98.4%
Contains more OtherOther	+13.1%

~equal in Carbs ~4.29g

~equal in Water ~92.87g

Fats

Although the fat content of both soups is minimal, the fat content of the hot and sour soup is nearly twice as high. A serving of hot and sour soup has 2.82g of fat, compared to 1.47g in a cup of egg drop soup.

There is very little cholesterol in the soups.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Hot and sour soup

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.229 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.288 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.311 g

Egg Drop Soup

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.166 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.191 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.129 g

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+50.8%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+141.1%

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-27.5%

Carbohydrates

Each cup of soup supplies 8–9% of the daily recommended consumption of carbohydrates (1).  Nearly 10.1 grams of carbohydrates are found in one serving of egg drop soup and hot and sour soup.

Starch comprises the full carbohydrate content of egg drop soup and hot and sour soup.

Egg drop and hot and sour soups may or may not be regarded as keto-friendly, depending on the ingredients and carbohydrate level of the soup.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Hot and sour soup

2

Starch: 2.43 g

Sucrose: 0.4 g

Glucose: 0.03 g

Fructose: 0 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0 g

Galactose: 0 g

Egg Drop Soup

1

Starch: 2.45 g

Sucrose: 0 g

Glucose: 0 g

Fructose: 0 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0 g

Galactose: 0 g

Contains more SucroseSucrose	+∞%
Contains more GlucoseGlucose	+∞%

~equal in Starch ~2.45g

~equal in Fructose ~0g

~equal in Lactose ~0g

~equal in Maltose ~0g

~equal in Galactose ~0g

Vitamins

Egg Drop Soup contains higher levels of Vitamin A (89 IU vs. 34 IU) and Vitamin A RAE (20 g vs. 9 g). However, Hot and Sour Soup surpasses Egg Drop Soup in Vitamin E (0.39mg vs. 0.13mg) and Vitamin C content (0mg vs. 6.5mg). Hot and Sour Soup shows higher levels of B-complex vitamins. Moreover, hot and sour soup exhibits more folate (8 g vs. 7 g) and vitamin B12 (0.1 g vs. 0.03 g) than egg drop soup. The two soups have comparable levels of vitamin D and vitamin K. 

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Hot and sour soup

9

Egg Drop Soup

3

Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E	+200%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+36.8%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+63.2%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+225%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+89.2%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+220%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+233.3%
Contains more FolateFolate	+14.3%
Contains more CholineCholine	+20.9%

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+161.8%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+100%

~equal in Vitamin K ~1.2µg

Minerals

In terms of mineral content, hot and sour soup generally exhibits higher levels compared to egg drop soup. Hot and Sour Soup contains more calcium (19mg vs. 7mg), iron (0.64mg vs. 0.26mg), magnesium (9mg vs. 2mg), phosphorus (32mg vs. 15mg), potassium (55mg vs. 22mg), zinc (0.22mg vs. 0.09mg), copper (0.026mg vs. 0.019mg), and manganese (0.085mg vs. 0.011mg). Both soups show the same level of selenium at 0.4µg. 

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Hot and sour soup

8

Egg Drop Soup

0

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+350%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+171.4%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+150%
Contains more IronIron	+146.2%
Contains more CopperCopper	+36.8%
Contains more ZincZinc	+144.4%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+113.3%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+672.7%

~equal in Sodium ~370mg

~equal in Selenium ~0.4µg

Health Benefits

Egg drops and hot and sour soups are healthful meals that, depending on what's in them, may offer a high supply of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Because the soups are low in calories, they can be included in a diet low in calories. Low-calorie diets enhance glycemic control, lessen the severity of obesity-related diseases, and lower the risk of cardiovascular, liver, and renal illness (2).  Most of the vitamins are present in both soups, although, to varying degrees, the hot and sour soup is high in vitamins B3, B6, and B12. These vitamins are necessary for producing red blood cells, good skin, and normal brain function (3).

The physiological antioxidant vitamin C is abundant in egg drop soup. The immune system, wound healing, tissue development and repair, and iron absorption are all aided by vitamin C (4).

Soups that are hot and sour are excellent sources of iron, as they can provide up to 22.5% of the daily required intake (1). The production of hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues, depends on iron. Iron is also necessary for many other processes, including growth, brain development, hormone synthesis, DNA synthesis, and many more (5).  

Risks

Salt content is high in egg drops and hot and sour soups. Consuming excessive amounts of sodium raises the risk of cancer, osteoporosis, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease (6). To reduce your risk of heart disease, think about consuming low-sodium foods. 

Sources

1. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf
2. https://jpp.krakow.pl/journal/archive/10_18/pdf/10.26402/jpp.2018.5.02.pdf 
3. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002399.htm
4. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
5. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/
6.  https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/