Which ready-made soup should you avoid? Dietitian reveals the best and worst options!
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As the chilly weather rolls in and the days become shorter, nothing beats the comforting warmth of a hearty bowl of soup. But did you know that for many popular brands, a single serving can contain almost an entire day's worth of salt?
With concerns arising over the health effects linked to excessive salt intake, from high blood pressure to heart disease, knowing the salt content of our favourite pre-packaged soups becomes paramount.
Susie Burrell worked as a community dietitian before obtaining the specialist obesity position at a children’s hospital, which led her to become an expert in the area of childhood obesity and dietary management of insulin resistance.
Now, the leading Australian dietitian has come to our rescue by ranking popular ready-made soups based on their salt content. To make healthier choices, Susie suggests aiming for soups with no more than 600-800mg of sodium per serve or less than 300mg per 100g.
So, without further ado, here are some of the most popular pre-made soups ranked from worst to best:
Trident Laksa Flavour Thai Noodle Soup – 520mg sodium
This ready-made soup has more than 2,000mg of sodium per serving, plus MSG. Its nutritional facts are:
Hart & Soul All Natural Tom Yum Soup Cup – 353mg sodium
This ready-made soup is still high in sodium but low for the style of Asian soup compared to other supermarket varieties. Ms Burrell also said that the Tom Yum Soup Cup has an ‘extremely clean’ ingredient list with no additives.
Its nutritional facts include:
Dari's Chicken & Corn Soup – 339 mg sodium
Dari’s Chicken & Corn Soup also contains a ‘reasonable’ amount of sodium, but Ms Burrell pointed out that its ingredient list is clean – despite some additives.
Amy's Kitchen Hearty Organic Quinoa, Kale & Red Lentil Soup – 303 mg sodium
‘This vegetable-rich soup is still a good option nutritionally,’ Ms Burrell claims. This is because it contains 25 per cent vegetables, and its ingredient list has fewer additives, flavours or colours than most supermarket varieties.
Hart & Soul Coconut & Lentil Soup – 300 mg sodium
This ready-made soup contains 10 grams of dietary fibre per serving, eight grams of protein and 600mg per serving. According to Ms Burrell, this is a nutritionally balanced soup with a number of positive nutritional properties.
Campbell's Condensed Soup Split Pea & Ham – 275 mg sodium
Although it’s made with 64 per cent peas, this soup is a good source of dietary fibre and protein, but it also has plenty of additives, including preservatives and various types of salt.
The nutritional panel includes:
Amy's Kitchen Organic Vegetable Barley Soup – 237 mg sodium
This is a low-calorie, vegetable-rich soup option with low sodium levels.
Heinz Classic Creamy Pumpkin Soup Canned Vegetable Soup – 220 mg sodium
This Heinz Classic variety is low in sodium compared to the other soups on this list. However, it does contain a flavour enhancer. Still, it’s a reasonable and affordable option.
La Zuppa Soup Pouch Rustic Vegetable – 251 mg sodium
Made with 50 per cent vegetables, no additives, and a reasonable amount of sodium, this is one of the best pre-made vegetable soups you can find in supermarkets, according to Ms Burrell.
This ready-made soup is low in sodium, extremely high in dietary fibre and protein and with a clean ingredient list.
According to Ms Burrell, this is one of the best soups you can find in your local supermarkets.
Have you tried any of these pre-made soups before? Let us know what you think about this list in the comments!
With concerns arising over the health effects linked to excessive salt intake, from high blood pressure to heart disease, knowing the salt content of our favourite pre-packaged soups becomes paramount.
Susie Burrell worked as a community dietitian before obtaining the specialist obesity position at a children’s hospital, which led her to become an expert in the area of childhood obesity and dietary management of insulin resistance.
Now, the leading Australian dietitian has come to our rescue by ranking popular ready-made soups based on their salt content. To make healthier choices, Susie suggests aiming for soups with no more than 600-800mg of sodium per serve or less than 300mg per 100g.
So, without further ado, here are some of the most popular pre-made soups ranked from worst to best:
A dietitian has revealed the best and worst ready-made soups based on their salt content. Credit: Foodie Factor/Pexels
Trident Laksa Flavour Thai Noodle Soup – 520mg sodium
This ready-made soup has more than 2,000mg of sodium per serving, plus MSG. Its nutritional facts are:
- Energy: 302 kJ / 72 kcal
- Protein: 1.4 grams
- Fat: 0.8 grams
- Sat: 0.4 grams
- Cho: 14.6 grams
- Sugars: 0.6 grams
- Fibre: N/A
- Sodium: 520 mg
Hart & Soul All Natural Tom Yum Soup Cup – 353mg sodium
This ready-made soup is still high in sodium but low for the style of Asian soup compared to other supermarket varieties. Ms Burrell also said that the Tom Yum Soup Cup has an ‘extremely clean’ ingredient list with no additives.
Its nutritional facts include:
- Energy: 108 kJ / 26 kcal
- Protein: 0.7 grams
- Fat: 1.1 grams
- Sat: 0.2 grams
- Cho: 3.3 grams
- Sugars: 1.1 grams
- Fibre: -
- Sodium: 353 mg
This soup has a clean ingredient list. Credit: Woolworths
Dari's Chicken & Corn Soup – 339 mg sodium
Dari’s Chicken & Corn Soup also contains a ‘reasonable’ amount of sodium, but Ms Burrell pointed out that its ingredient list is clean – despite some additives.
This soup offers more protein per serving. Credit: Coles
- Energy: 158 kJ / 38 kcal
- Protein: 7 grams per serving
- Fat: 1.3 grams
- Sat: 0.7 grams
- Cho: 3.7 grams
- Sugars: 1.3 grams
- Fibre: 0.7 grams
- Sodium: 339 mg
Amy's Kitchen Hearty Organic Quinoa, Kale & Red Lentil Soup – 303 mg sodium
‘This vegetable-rich soup is still a good option nutritionally,’ Ms Burrell claims. This is because it contains 25 per cent vegetables, and its ingredient list has fewer additives, flavours or colours than most supermarket varieties.
- Energy: 235 kJ / 56 kcal
- Protein: 1.7 grams
- Fat: 2.2 grams
- Sat: 0.3 grams
- Cho: 7.4 grams
- Sugars: 1.6 grams
- Fibre: -
- Sodium: 303 mg
It’s also gluten-free. Credit: Woolworths
Hart & Soul Coconut & Lentil Soup – 300 mg sodium
This ready-made soup contains 10 grams of dietary fibre per serving, eight grams of protein and 600mg per serving. According to Ms Burrell, this is a nutritionally balanced soup with a number of positive nutritional properties.
- Energy: 467 kJ / 112 kcal
- Protein: 4 grams
- Fat: 5 grams
- Sat: 3.4 grams
- Cho: 10.9 grams
- Sugars: 1.4 grams
- Fibre: 5 grams
- Sodium: 300 mg
This is a nutritionally-balanced soup. Credit: Woolworths
Campbell's Condensed Soup Split Pea & Ham – 275 mg sodium
Although it’s made with 64 per cent peas, this soup is a good source of dietary fibre and protein, but it also has plenty of additives, including preservatives and various types of salt.
Campbell’s soup has plenty of additives included per serving. Credit: Woolworths
The nutritional panel includes:
- Energy: 232 kJ / 55 kcal
- Protein: 3.3 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
- Sat: <0.1 grams
- Cho: 5.5 grams
- Sugars: 1.5 grams
- Fibre: 1.4 grams
- Sodium: 275 mg
Amy's Kitchen Organic Vegetable Barley Soup – 237 mg sodium
This is a low-calorie, vegetable-rich soup option with low sodium levels.
It’s also dairy-free and low in fat. Credit: Woolworths
- Energy: 147 kJ / 35 kcal
- Protein: 0.8 grams
- Fat: 1.2 grams
- Sat: <0.1 grams
- Cho: 5.3 grams
- Sugars: 2 grams
- Fibre: -
- Sodium: 237 mg
Heinz Classic Creamy Pumpkin Soup Canned Vegetable Soup – 220 mg sodium
This Heinz Classic variety is low in sodium compared to the other soups on this list. However, it does contain a flavour enhancer. Still, it’s a reasonable and affordable option.
- Energy: 165 kJ / 39 kcal
- Protein: 1.3 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
- Sat: 0.2 grams
- Cho: 6.9 grams
- Sugars: 2.2 grams
- Fibre: 1.6 grams
- Sodium: 220 mg
This soup is low in sodium. Credit: Woolworths
La Zuppa Soup Pouch Rustic Vegetable – 251 mg sodium
Made with 50 per cent vegetables, no additives, and a reasonable amount of sodium, this is one of the best pre-made vegetable soups you can find in supermarkets, according to Ms Burrell.
This is one of the best ready-made soups you can find in your local stores, according to the dietitian. Credit: Coles
- Energy: 117 KJ / 28 kcal
- Protein: 1.9 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
- Sat: <0.1 grams
- Cho: 4.3 grams
- Sugars: 1 gram
- Fibre: 1.7 grams
- Sodium: 251 mg
This ready-made soup is low in sodium, extremely high in dietary fibre and protein and with a clean ingredient list.
- Energy: 283 kJ / 68 kcal
- Protein: 6.8 grams
- Fat: 1.7 grams
- Sat: 0.3 grams
- Cho: 5.2 grams
- Sugars: 1.3 grams
- Fibre: 2 grams
- Sodium: 170 mg
This soup was also voted Coles’ Product of the Year. Credit: Coles
According to Ms Burrell, this is one of the best soups you can find in your local supermarkets.
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