The Sneaky Words To Look Out For On Soup Labels That Indicate A Ton Of Added Salt - Tasting Table

"The nutrition label as we know it has been around since the early '90s and mandatory since 1994. It's designed not only to provide transparency about ingredients, but also a breakdown of the nutrients and how they fit into the Food and Drug Administration's daily recommended intake. It's a requirement that ingredients are listed by highest content in terms of weight. So if you're trying to avoid excess sodium, you might know to scan a soup label for salt or sodium chloride, to see how high up the list it is."

"While this might seem straightforward, it's not always the case. Salt comes in many forms with different names. If you see the ingredients disodium phosphate, sodium citrate, sodium nitrate or nitrite, sodium benzoate, sodium caseinate, or monosodium glutamate (MSG), all of these add up to a lot of salt. Your best bet is to check the sodium level on the nutritional data panel, and remember that the recommended daily intake is just 2300 mg."

"Taking a look at some of the most popular soups reveals that salt sells. A ½-cup serving of Campbell's Chicken Noodle will get you a hefty 39% of your recommended daily sodium intake, while Progresso's New England Clam Chowder packs 33% of the recommended amount into 1 cup. If you don't stick to the suggested serving size and eat the whole can instead, you get at least double the sodium."

Nutrition labels became mandatory in 1994 and list ingredients by weight while showing nutrient breakdowns relative to FDA daily recommendations. Ingredients must appear in order of highest content by weight, so many sodium-containing additives can be listed under different names. Common sodium sources include disodium phosphate, sodium citrate, sodium nitrate or nitrite, sodium benzoate, sodium caseinate, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). The recommended daily sodium intake is 2300 mg. Popular canned soups often supply large percentages of that daily amount per suggested serving, and consuming whole cans can double the sodium intake. Low-sodium and reduced-sodium products are offered as alternatives.

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