How Much Salt is in Your Soup?

Chowder

Have you ever looked at the Nutrition Facts panel for your soup? Most people are surprised to hear that soup can contain an excessive amount of sodium for the number of calories it provides. This applies to canned, jarred, fresh, and frozen.

Here are just a few quick examples...

• 1 cup of chicken noodle soup: 1780 mg sodium

• 1 cup of vegetable beef soup: 860 mg sodium

• 1 cup of tomato soup: 750 mg sodium

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise people to "Reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) and further reduce intake to 1,500 mg among persons who are 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease."

Why?

Let's turn to the guideline’s assertion, "On average, the higher an individual’s sodium intake, the higher the individual’s blood pressure. […] Keeping blood pressure in the normal range reduces an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease. Therefore, adults and children should limit their intake of sodium."But you know all this already. The question is, how can you help your clients reduce the sodium in their diets?

Soup is a great place to start. I mean, look at the stats above! The sodium in a single cup of chicken noodle soup is more than roughly half of the U.S. population should consume in a single day. That's crazy. But many soups are like that, even the ones with reduced sodium. Yes, I'm serious. A cup of reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup still packs a whopping 1300 mg of sodium, while a cup of reduced-sodium chicken noodle soup contains 1320 mg of sodium.

The answer to reducing the sodium in a bowl of soup is to make that soup at home. It's easier than your clients may think!

For inspiration, here are two easy favorite soup recipes. They are perfect for cooking demonstrations or speedy handouts. You can also prepare samples at home and bring them to your next session. The samples make equally-good health fair booth lures. Which will you try first?

These soups aren't just tasty and healthful; they're also low in sodium. Here's the breakdown of sodium content in a cup of each soup...

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10 Minute Bean Soup

Yield 4

Author Judy Doherty

Prep time

1 Min

Cook time

10 Min

Total time

11 Min

This simple bean soup comes together in a snap and is perfect for getting plenty of nutrients and filling fiber.

Ingredients

• 1 cup canned pinto beans, drained
• 1 15-ounce can no-salt-added Italian spiced tomatoes
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup frozen chopped collard greens
• 1/2 cup elbow macaroni
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the tomatoes and beans in a saucepan. Mash the beans with a potato masher or hand blender until about one third of the beans are mashed. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until the macaroni is done.
2. Chef's Tips: If you can't track down collard greens or kale, spinach would work in a pinch!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

158.68

Fat

1.59

Sat. Fat

0.36

Carbs

29.93

Fiber

5.22

Net carbs

24.71

Sugar

5.8

Protein

8.73

Sodium

296.23

Cholesterol

0

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Soup, Beans, Vegetarian

American, Mediterranean

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Butternut Squash Soup

Yield 6

Author Judy Doherty

Prep time

10 Min

Cook time

45 Min

Total time

55 Min

This buttery smooth soup is made from butternut squash with veggies and select seasonings. It's topped with a little shaken cream and paprika.

Ingredients

• 1 pound butternut squash about 1 medium sized squash, can also use acorn squash
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 each onion cut in half
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp pepper flakes
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 2 cups water
• 2 ounces half and half
• 4 tsp heavy cream for garnish
• 1 tsp paprika for garnish

Instructions

1. Microwave the butternut squash for 1-2 minutes. Cut it in half and remove the seeds, skin, and core. Cut the squash into cubes. Chop the onion.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat on a stove. Add the olive oil, then add the squash, onion, and celery. Add the seasonings. Cover and cook until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the broth and water to the pot with the squash. Bring all to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender. Puree with a vertical blender. Add the cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.
4. To serve, place the soup into bowls. Shake the heavy cream and pour a little on top of each one. Garnish with paprika. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

90.81

Fat

3.74

Sat. Fat

1.74

Carbs

13.37

Fiber

2.46

Net carbs

10.9

Sugar

3.34

Protein

3.24

Sodium

57.53

Cholesterol

7.08

copyright foodandhealth.com

Soup

American, Plant Based

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @foodandhealth on instagram and hashtag it # foodandhealthrecipes