Anyone for soup?
Soup sold at popular high street food chains contains more salt than adults should eat in an entire day, according to a study by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash). The study found that 99% of the soups tested contained more salt per portion than a packet of crisps, and just 6% could be labelled green based on the traffic light labelling system. The worst one sold in supermarkets (New Covent Garden Scotch Broth) contained 2.4g per 300g portion, the equivalent of nearly five packets of crisps.
People tend to think salt is only in crisps, snacks and ready meals. But this survey shows huge amounts of salt can be hidden in seemingly healthy choices such as soup. This is a good example of why it's hard to stick to the recommended 6g a day salt limit if you eat processed foods, and is all the more maddening because soup is the easiest food you can make with the possible exception of toast.
If you've never made soup, here's the recipe for just about all of them.
Fry off some vegetables - any vegetables - in a little oil. Boil the kettle and make up a litre of stock (use Marigold organic reduced-salt vegetable boullion powder, and don't be put off by the name: you can get this in any wholefoods shop or through the food co-op). Dump the stock in, turn down the heat, and leave it all to simmer for half an hour. If you like your soup smooth, whizz it up with a stick blender.
And that's it. Give it a taste at the end because you'll want to add a little salt, but you'll probably use less than a tenth of the amount the commercial brands have.
What, you want an actual recipe with measurements and everything? Well, if you must... but most experienced home cooks rarely use them. That's the beauty of soup: once you get the hang of the basics you can make soup out of just about anything.
Published by Hedgewizard 26th February 2010 | Food Group, News | Comments Off
People tend to think salt is only in crisps, snacks and ready meals. But this survey shows huge amounts of salt can be hidden in seemingly healthy choices such as soup. This is a good example of why it's hard to stick to the recommended 6g a day salt limit if you eat processed foods, and is all the more maddening because soup is the easiest food you can make with the possible exception of toast.
If you've never made soup, here's the recipe for just about all of them.
Fry off some vegetables - any vegetables - in a little oil. Boil the kettle and make up a litre of stock (use Marigold organic reduced-salt vegetable boullion powder, and don't be put off by the name: you can get this in any wholefoods shop or through the food co-op). Dump the stock in, turn down the heat, and leave it all to simmer for half an hour. If you like your soup smooth, whizz it up with a stick blender.
And that's it. Give it a taste at the end because you'll want to add a little salt, but you'll probably use less than a tenth of the amount the commercial brands have.
What, you want an actual recipe with measurements and everything? Well, if you must... but most experienced home cooks rarely use them. That's the beauty of soup: once you get the hang of the basics you can make soup out of just about anything.
These provide up to date information (October 2009) on the measures that Dorset residents can incorporate into their homes, businesses and community buildings.
