Salt = $$

Just when I thought it was safe to dig out the can opener again, the Campbell Soup company says it will put more salt back into some of its soups.  (http://tinyurl.com/3bjb39l)

Remember the picture of the guy in the room with all the salt that was taken out of the soups?    Doesn't apply any longer.

Campbell’s says the increase will be from 480 to 650 milligrams. By my calculation, that’s a 170 milligram increase in salt … about 35% more. According to a nephrologist I talked with a year or so ago, two cans of that soup in one day would put me 100 milligrams over his suggested limit of 1200 milligrams a day.  We do not need MORE salt in our diet. Our collective blood pressures are far too high as it is.

The move is intended to boost some drooping sales.

If we need any more indication that the corporate world doesn’t give a hoot about our health, then this is it. I’ve just been reading a fascinating article in Men’s Health about how nutrition claims can be so misleading and that while the claims sound as if the product is good for us, there is so much artificial creation behind the tastes and textures that we have no idea of the cumulative effect on our health.

Same with this example from Campbell’s. There’s lots of evidence to suggest the damage that excess salt does to our body systems and this decision by Campbell’s really puts their earlier claims of salt reduction right into the dumpster where they belong.

Buy a bag of lentils, some other vegetables and a few bones for flavour and make your own soup. It really does taste better and your blood pressure will thank you for it!