foodconsumer.org: Campbell's lowers salt in tomato soup

Campbell's lowers salt in tomato soup
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admin on 08/22/2009 13:44:00
 
By Sheilah Downey (sheilahd@foodconsumer.org)
Most people in the United States consume twice the recommended amount of salt
each day, says the Centers for Disease Control. Overdosing on salt, an easy
thing to do, can lead to high blood pressure, strokes and heart attacks.
Jumping on the healthier bandwagon, Campbell's announced today they are dishing
up a lower-salt version of its hugely popular tomato soup, the company's
flagship product.
Unchanged since it was introduced in 1897, the new tomato soup is showing up on
grocery shelves this week with 480 milligrams of sodium per serving, says the
company. The original version contained 710 mg.
"Introducing one of our top-selling soups with less salt is a major milestone in
our sodium reduction journey," said Denise Morrison, president of Campbell North
America.
By adding natural sea salt to the recipe, said the company press release, they
were able to lower the sodium content by 32 percent. Taste tests in all 50
states showed that "nine out of ten people said they would buy" the new version.
Doctors recommend consuming between 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day,
based on age and, or health-related problems. About three-quarters of the salt
Americans eat comes from prepared foods, not from the salt shaker.
If you eat just one bowl of the new low-salt tomato soup, you will be getting
almost 21 percent of the suggested daily allowance.