Canned soup is a cupboard essential, but many soups are packed with additives and salt.
Here, dietitian Nigel Denby, from harleystathome.com, suggests five of the healthiest choices…
SAINSBURY’S BE GOOD TO YOURSELF TOMATO & THREE BEAN SOUP
SAINSBURY’S BE GOOD TO YOURSELF TOMATO AND THREE BEAN SOUP: ‘Almost 50 per cent of this is tomatoes, and 35 per cent is lentils and beans, so half a can counts as one of your five a day’
400g/67p sainsburys.co.uk
Per 100 g: Calories, 57; saturated fat, 0.1 g; sugar, 2.1 g; protein, 3.4 g; fiber, 2.2 g; salt, 0.47 g
Nearly 50 percent of this is tomatoes and 35 percent lentils and beans, so half a can counts as one of your five cans a day. Beans and lentils are a good source of fiber and protein. There are 15 percent of your daily fiber in half a can and 6.8 grams of protein (the equivalent of a large egg). There are 19 different vegetables, herbs and spices, and no additives or chemical preservatives. There is almost a teaspoon of sugar in a serving, due to added sugar and natural sweetness, although much less salt than most soups. It’s also good value.
TASTE: Pleasant, spicy kick.
M&S CHUNKY VEGETABLE & CHICKEN SOUP
M&S CHUNKY VEGETABLE AND CHICKEN SOUP: ‘Although half a can counts as one of your five cans a day, it is unlikely to be enough’
400g/£1.10 ocado.com
Per 100 g: Calories, 42; saturated fat, 0.1 g; sugar, 1.6 g; 0.1g; protein, 3.9 g; fiber, 1.2 g; salt, 0.48 g
Made with 8 percent chicken breast meat and 26 grams of vegetables, this could be a convenient alternative to homemade soup.
Although half a can counts as one of your five cans a day, it’s unlikely to be enough; Although it contains 7.8 grams of protein, there are only 2.4 grams of fiber, 8 percent of your daily needs. It has no added sugars and a lower salt content than canned soup: 16 percent of your daily limit in half a can.
TASTE: Good but a bit watery.
BAY’S KITCHEN TOMATO & ROASTED PEPPER SOUP
BAY’S KITCHEN TOMATO & ROASTED PEPPER SOUP: ‘This is low in FODMAPs – ingredients that can cause intestinal problems such as bloating and cramps’
300g/£3.45 ocado.com
Per 100 g: Calories, 24; saturated fat, 0 g; sugar, 2.7 g; egg white, 0.8 g; fiber, 1 g; salt, 0.66 g
This is low in FODMAPs – ingredients that can cause intestinal problems such as bloating and cramps. Also gluten and dairy free, it’s 42 percent tomatoes and 10 percent peppers, and one serving counts as one of your five a day. But it’s low in protein and fiber, and with a 1.98-gram serving, it contains a third of your daily salt limit.
TASTE: Powerful tomato flavor with a peppery kick.
FREE AND EASY BUTTERNUT PUMPKIN, SWEET POTATO AND TURMERIC SOUP
FREE AND EASY BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SWEET POTATO AND TURMERIC SOUP: ‘Gluten and dairy free, this soup is also low in salt – just 0.58g in half a can. There are 14 vegetables, herbs and spices, and the only additive is a sweetener’
400g/£2.40 superfood-market.com
Per 100 g: Calories, 31; saturated fat, 0.05 g; sugar, 3.1 g; egg white, 0.6 g; fiber: 1.5 g; salt, 0.29 g
This soup is gluten and dairy free and contains little salt: only 0.58 g in half a can. There are 14 vegetables, herbs and spices, and the only additive is a sweetener. It contains little fiber, but half a can provides half of one of your five fibers a day.
TASTE: Sweet, spicy.
BAXTERS SUPER GOOD BONE BROTH, MUSHROOM AND BARLEY SOUP
BAXTERS SUPER GOOD BONE BROTH MUSHROOM AND BARLEY SOUP: ‘Bone broth is a source of collagen (for skin and joints) but only makes up 0.5 percent of this soup’
400g, £2.20 at waitrose.com
Per 100 g: Calories, 42; saturated fat, 0.8 g; sugar, 1.2 g; egg white, 1.4 g; fiber, 0.8 g; salt, 0.53 g
Bone broth is a source of collagen (for skin and joints), but only makes up 0.5 percent of this soup. But with 13 percent pearl barley, a grain with a low glycemic index, it will help you feel full, and half a can counts as half of one of your five a day. But it is saltier than some, with more than 1 gram in half a can.
TASTE: Rich, savory beef flavor.