1. Go Organic
For food to qualify as "health" according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a single serving must contain no more than 480 mg of sodium. That's 20 percent of our recommended daily allowance. Finding a canned soup that falls under this level can definitely be quite a challenge. Most of these soups are relatively high in salt, running anywhere from 580 to 960 mg of sodium per serving. Organic soups typically average between 280 to 750 mg of sodium, which is 12 to 31 percent of our daily allowance. This is a much smarter alternative, particularly if you stick to those products on the lower end of the sodium spectrum.
2. Switch to Sea Salt
Chefs have been using sea salt as a seasoning agent for years, more for the added taste than the actual health benefits. However, products that utilize this healthier alternative still maintain their flavor while providing upwards of 45 percent less sodium per serving. This means that most of the soups on the market that contain sea salt have less than 480 mg of sodium, which brings them in under the required level to be considered healthy.
3. Change to Reduced-Sodium Versions
Most people consume almost twice as much salt as the recommended daily allowance. As concerns rise about the sodium consumption in the average American diet, an increasing number of foods are hitting the shelves touting reduced sodium. No other product has encountered more of this than canned soup. Generally, these reduced-sodium versions tend to be 30 to 45 percent lower in sodium than the standard consumer canned soup. This translates into an average sodium level of between 90 to 672 mg per serving.
4. Make It From Scratch
Probably the best option for truly low-sodium soups is to make them from scratch. This method allows you to determine how much salt you want in your soups instead of letting someone else decide that for you. There's a wealth of recipes online and in cookbooks that are low in salt and you can always alter one of your favorite recipes to include less sodium. If you add this ingredient at the very end of preparation, you'l need a lot less. As salt cooks or simmers, it loses its potency. By opting to add it at the end, you'll taste it far more than you would when adding it at the beginning.
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