Soup Sodium Soapbox
To the people with questions about sodium, hello!
Our seasonings are reduced-sodium compared to traditional canned soups; this means about 25% less. We do this for a couple reasons. One, so we could fit in more herbs and spices. Two, because the recipes sometimes call for canned foods that might contain salt. Three, our recipes don’t need as much salt because of the way Broth Bomb ® helps breakdown the foods, creating a richer broth full of minerals and natural flavorful compounds.
Our seasonings range from 196-393 mg of sodium, which is 9-17% daily value per cup. One cup is a side dish. The average person eats 2.5 cups of food for dinner. So if you're serving the stew over plain rice or a salt free bread, or both, the total sodium for the meal will be lower than if you eat a 24 ounce portion of stew.
Another reason I kept the sodium low is because I had a small stroke as at age 28. I am sensitive to too much sodium and want to enjoy my own seasoning blends. I'm also especially sensitive to high fat salty foods, which is why the recipes are all plant-based.
I typically don't eat anything with salt until dinner and don't eat many salted snacks. But sodium is an essential nutrient, we need some, so I try to get most of it with my dinner. Plus, having sodium with my veggies helps me eat more of them.
Unlike sodium, the other cardiovascular concerning foods, saturated fat and dietary cholestoral, are not essential nutrients. All of our suggested recipes (on the box) are centered around heart healthy foods like beans and greens. I subscribe to the thinking that if the best way to help people get more healthy whole plant foods into their lives is with just enough sodium and a dash of fun, then that’s a win for public health.
I felt the need to write this because soup has a reputation for being high in sodium but it’s actually average or lower compared to the other foods people eat most. The items below range from 160%-20% DV of sodium per serving.
- Processed meats
- Pickled foods
- Sauces, condiments
- Fried Foods
- Sandwiches/Burgers
- Salted nuts and Seeds
- French Bread
- Parm cheese, American Cheese
- Most Seafoods
- Canned foods with added salt
- Mashed Potatoes, Grits
- Pizza, Pasta
- Chicken Breast (which is typically injected with salt water)
- Cake w/ frosting, salted deserts
One big difference between all these foods and Broth Bomb ® recipes is whole plant foods. Our recipes are for hearty stews packed with plant protein and fiber, not light soups. 700 mg of sodium would be a lot for condiments, side items, or snack foods, but not for the whole meal.
Lastly, some of that sodium in Broth Bomb comes from baking soda rather than salt. The Broth Bomb reaction creates sodium citrate and other titrate (tartar) type compounds that form in the stew. These sodium buffers have an opposite effect on blood pressure compared to salt. People who are sensitive to high salt foods, like me, tend to not have any issue with our products and recipes.
Sodium citrate is generally as safe as sodium chloride (salt). Although, if you have a have a health condition or you're treating a health conditions with medicine you should consult a doctor.
If low sodium is an absolute must for you, we've seen people use half of the Broth Bomb ® in the full recipe to meet their needs. Or serve a cup of stew on top of a cup of unsalted prepared rice. You’ll still get a good kick of flavor because they're so packed full of herbs and spices.
In care,
Andrew Laurent
*As always, please consult your own medical professions regarding your diet and using products like Broth Bomb. We are not offering medical advice. Broth Bomb is not intended to treat or cure any condition. Any health related claims have not been reviewed by the FDA.