Be Soup Smart

If you have diabetes, the reality is that choosing a healthy soup in the grocery store can be a little confusing. There’s no shortage of soup to select, but the trick is knowing what to look for on that label. Many of the cans of soup lining the grocery aisle are loaded with sodium — upwards of 1,000 milligrams (mg) per serving in some cases. And let’s face it — who eats just one serving of soup? Try these tips to make sure you make the best choice when it comes to soup:

1. While not everyone necessarily needs to limit his sodium intake, it’s no secret that we tend to consume way more than is recommended. If you have high blood pressure, kidney disease, or congestive heart failure, you may need to limit your sodium to just 1,500 mg (or lower) per day. Look for soup that contains no more than about 600 mg per serving. You can also try low-sodium soup, which has no more than 140 mg per serving (and may require some getting used to in terms of taste). You can add back flavour by shaking in some black pepper, herbs, or spices of your choosing.

2. Choose broth-based soups (chicken, beef, vegetable) over creamy-style soups, such as clam chowder or cream of broccoli soup. Doing so will save you calories and grams of saturated fat.

3. Try to pick a soup that contains at least 3 grams of fibre per serving. Lentil or minestrone soups are good examples of higher-fibre soups. If your favorite soup seems to be lacking in fibre, add your own cooked vegetables, beans, lentils, or whole grains, such as brown rice or barley.

4. If you prefer organic soups, just remember that they may not necessarily be lower in sodium or fat, or higher in fibre than conventional soup. Always read the Nutrition Facts panel.
5. Most international brands have “healthier” selections of soup.

Finally, consider making your own soup. It really doesn’t take too much time to whip up a batch of nourishing, healthy soup that you can nosh on all week.