By Keri Gans for U.S. News


Finally there is a chill in the air, at least in New York City. I don't know about you, but when the temperature starts lowering, my appetite for soup starts rising. Problem is, I can never find the time to make soup from scratch[1] .


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I'm sure there are a lot of quick recipes out there, but I tend to hit the supermarket, scouting the shelves for something that I feel is healthy enough to bring home. Trust me, I find this task daunting, so I thought I would share with you what it is I look for when making a soup can (or box) worthy of purchase. Here's what I found on a trip to my local supermarket this week:


Sodium: Probably the scariest number on a can of soup is the sodium content. I found this to range from a beautiful 50 milligrams all the way to a whopping 940 milligrams for a one-cup serving. The latter is around 40 percent of one's sodium needs, based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's recommended daily value of 2400 milligrams. Trust me, that is a soup you want to pass on.


Don't be fooled by labels [5] including "organic," "light" or even "healthy," because that doesn't seem to affect the manufacturer's amount of salt. However, I did find that those labeled "light in sodium," "low sodium" or "no added salt" were on the lower end of the sodium range (50 to 160 milligrams) and were acceptable amounts.


Fat: When it comes to soups, this nutrient doesn't seem to make much of a difference and wouldn't really affect my choice. Luckily, none of the soups I saw had trans fats because that would have been a total deterrent for purchase. Total fat ranged from 0 to 9 grams and saturated fat from 0 to 5 grams, and this includes the "creamy" soups.



Fiber: Since the average American does not meet his or her daily fiber needs, I am always on the lookout for foods that shine in this nutrient[6] . The higher the fiber, the more likely I would buy a brand -- as long as the sodium is not out of control. The range I found was 0 to 8 grams, the latter coming from soups that are bean-based such as lentil and black bean.


Protein: The amount of protein ranged from 1 to 9 grams. If you are enjoying the soup as part of your meal -- for example, with a sandwich -- than 1 gram is OK. But if you're having soup as your sole snack or lunch, then the more, the better. Protein helps to fill us up and, if it's lacking in your bowl, then you may be hungry sooner than later.


Calories: The key here is to look first at serving size and the number of servings in the can or box. Most cans include two servings, and most of the boxes contain four. Calories ranged from as low as 15 per serving for a broth to 220 per serving for a lentil soup.


Just like with the protein, the choice depends on when you are having the soup and whether you're having something else with it. If it's your main meal, you could easily have 2 cups of the 220-calorie brand; however, if you're also having a sandwich, you would do better to choose a soup with around 100 calories per serving. Overall, soup can actually help to fill you up if enjoyed as an "appetizer," but if it contains too many calories, it may just fill you out.


Ingredients: As with almost everything that comes in a can or a box, you should read the ingredient label very closely. For me, if I see MSG, artificial flavoring or caramel on the label, the soup stays on the shelf because I really don't see the point of them being included in the recipe.


Surprisingly, many vegetable soups have egg ingredients and wheat when I would expect just to see veggies. While "100 percent natural" may lead you to think a soup is healthy, there is no set definition by the FDA for this labeling, and you might be surprised what you find on the ingredient list. As per my dear friend, Bonnie Taub-Dix, fellow registered dietitian and blogger for Eat + Run[7] : "Read It Before You Eat It." Very wise words.


Ideally, we probably should be making our own soups. My other close pal and registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner promised me that the below recipe from her book, "The Flexitarian Diet[8] " is so simple it can be made in less than 15 minutes with minimal ingredients. Hmmm? This might actually be less time than I spend scouring the aisle for the perfect soup.


Tuscan Bean Soup (Makes 2 cups)

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil


  • 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced


  • 1 clove garlic, minced


  • 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary


  • 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained


  • 1/2 cup canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained


  • 1 cup water


  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (topping)


In medium pot, sauté onion, garlic and rosemary in oil for three minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Put hand blender into pot, and blend soup to a semi-chunky texture. Serve with drizzled vinegar on top.

Nutrition info (serving size = 1 cup): 170 calories, 4.5 fat (0.5 grams saturated), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 220 milligrams sodium, 31 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 10 grams sugar, 8 grams protein




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  • Hot Dogs


    Karen Ansel, MS, RD, CDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and coauthor of <em>The Calendar Diet: A Month by Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life</em> "As for what I wouldn't eat: hot dogs, without a doubt. Even if they're nitrate-free, they're still made up of too many parts and pieces, which is just unnatural."




  • Bugs


    Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN, author of<em> Nutrition at Your Fingertips</em> and fellow Eat + Run blogger "I would not eat brains, frog legs or bugs. Otherwise, no foods are off limits, as I think all foods can fit into a healthful and balanced diet. And when I want something that I don't think of as healthy -- like a hot dog, pastrami, French fries, Doritos or a Hostess cupcake -- I have it, but keep the portion small."




  • Soda


    Patricia Bannan, MS, RD, author of <em>Eat Right When Time is Tight</em> "<a href="http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2012/10/11/soda-calories-and-a-full-accounting">Sugary soda</a>. Not only does it taste overly-sweet, it's such a waste of calories. A 12-ounce can of soda has almost 40 grams of sugar, and research shows excess sugar can lead to excess pounds and a myriad of health issues. If you do love a soda, limit it to once or twice a month, and get used to other options like citrus-infused water or non-sugared iced tea."




  • Artifical Ingredients


    Jackie Newgent, RD, culinary nutritionist and author of <em>1</em><em>,000 Low-Calorie Recipes</em> "I won't eat anything that's neon! Basically, if a food or beverage is a color that you can't find in nature -- like electric blue or glow-in-the-dark orange -- I won't go near it. It's one indicator of an artificial ingredient. I always keep it real."




  • Diet Foods


    Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, author of <em><a href="http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/flexitarian-diet">The Flexitarian Diet</a></em> "Spray butter, whipped topping and other similar 'diet foods.' My food philosophy is to eat real food with simple ingredient lists. I'd rather enjoy my food with smart amounts of real butter, oil, sea salt or whipped cream rather than artificial flavors and chemicals."




  • Alive


    Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, author of <em>Read It Before You Eat It </em>and fellow Eat + Run blogger "I don't like to eat anything that looks like it did when it was alive! Whether it's a cornish hen or a whole fish, I'd rather not see my food in that 'whole' state. I was a strict vegetarian for years, not eating any meat, fish, or poultry, and although I slowly added some of those foods back into my diet, certain animal products are still tough for me to swallow."




  • Diet Soda


    Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, author of <em>S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches</em> "Diet soda. It doesn't offer any nutrients, and my rule of thumb is: If it's artificial, it's not going into my body. Also, some research has linked diet soda consumption to an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and depression. Plus, one analysis found that, on average, diet soda drinkers weigh more than regular soda drinkers."




  • Hydrogenated Oils


    Rachel Begun, MS, RD, spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics "I avoid all foods that contain hydrogenated oils. There is absolutely no need for them in our diet, and nowadays, it's easy to find foods that don't contain them."




  • Meat


    Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD, spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics "By preference, I'm mostly <a href="http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/vegetarian-diet">vegetarian</a>. I wouldn't eat bacon, hot dogs, chicken, hamburgers, steak, soup made with animal broth or anything cooked in lard."