Soup’s On

On a cold day, there’s nothing quite as good as a bowl of steaming hot soup. When you have the luxury of time, you can prepare a delicious soup from scratch. However, for a quick lunch or a busy night, a prepared soup from the grocery store can be just as comforting. Like other prepared foods, pre-made soups can have their nutrition downfalls, but it’s possible to enjoy convenient soups while still eating healthfully.

When you shop for such soups—whether in cans, cartons, or tubs—the biggest concern typically is high sodium levels; some soups contain up to 1,000 milligrams of sodium per serving (42% of your sodium needs for the day). In addition, some may be light on nutrient-rich vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. However, EN has found many prepared soups worth putting on your menu.

Helpful hints. Keep the following tips in mind the next time you want to warm up with a bowl of soup.

  • Check out the “healthy” options. In the case of soups, most of those labeled as “healthy” or “light” actually do contain significantly lower amounts of sodium. But check the Nutrition Facts panel just to be sure.
  • Add some vegetables. To boost the nutrient and fiber content of your soup, add more vegetables. Leftovers are perfect, but a handful of frozen or canned vegetables work just as well. Think green beans, red peppers, corn, cauliflower, spinach or nutrient-dense beans.
  • Portion check. Note that the portion size for most soups is one cup, not the entire container. If you do eat the whole container, you’ll be doubling all the nutrients. Depending on your soup choice, you easily could wind up eating nearly 400 calories, 20 grams of fat, and almost 1,800 mg sodium—from one can of soup.
  • Watch the cream. In general, cream-based soups are higher in calories, fat, and saturated fat than broth-based soups. Check the Nutrition Facts panel to find out the nutrient numbers.

—Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD

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