Choosing the best soup

As the temperatures have shifted, there have been a number of questions forwarded to me about ready to eat soups, particularly in relation to which of the store bought varieties are best. The truth be known, as even the soups with the lowest sodium content contain at least 600mg of sodium per serve or ¼ of your entire daily recommended intake, an amount of sodium per meal that is likely to bloat you like a whale, few are great options. For this reason, if you can, always prepare your own soup and add as little salt as possible.

If you must buy your soups, here are the best and worst options, even though a number of these do have a Heart Foundation Tick. Generally speaking, the pre mixed liquid soups are better and generally you also need lean protein and extra salad or vegetables with your soup, especially if you are enjoying it for lunch.

Soup / Total Sodium(mg) / Carbs(g) / Protein(g)

Country Ladle Minestrone / 726 / 15.4 / 4.9
Country Ladle Lunch Pumpkin / 866 / 25.4 / 6.0
Country Ladle Chicken & Corn / 736 / 17.1 / 6.1
Heinz Garden Pea / 1600 / 25.4 / 13.3
Country Ladle Rustic Vegetable / 613 / 20.3 / 2.9
La Zuppa Minestrone / 1382 / 33.2 / 6.7
La Zuppa Pumpkin / 890 / 27.7 / 3.8
Continental Cup a Soup Mushroom / 695 / 21.0 / 0.9
Ainsley Harriot Minestrone / 520 / 18.1 / 0.7
Pitango Pumpkin / 794 / 16.0 / 3.6
Pitango Chicken Noodle / 750 / 19.8 / 11.1
Woolworths Chicken & Corn / 638 / 16.2 / 5.8
Woolworths Minestrone / 612 / 20.0 / 4.0
Woolworths Spring Vegetable / 540 / 15.0 / 2.1
Woolworths Tomato & Capsicum / 630 / 36.9 / 2.4
Woolworths Red Thai Chicken / 840 / 15.9 / 6.0