After last week's Hungry Girl newsletter on canned soups, I e-mailed the LAWL dietician. See the exchange below.

MY E-MAIL

I was curious about some of the new "low sodium" canned soups. Can any
of these be used on the plan? And if they can, what would be the LA
Exchanges? (I'm submitting the information from hungrygirl.com) Thank
you.

Amy's Organic Light in Sodium Chunky Tomato Bisque
(1 cup: 120 calories, 3.5g fat, 340mg sodium, 21g carbs, 2g fiber, 14g
sugars, 2g protein = 2 Points)
Sodium count: 340mg vs. 680 mg

Progresso 50% Less Sodium Garden Vegetable
(1 cup: 100 calories, 0g fat, 450mg sodium, 22g carbs, 3g fiber, 4g
sugars, 3g protein = 1 Point)
Sodium count: 450mg vs. 940mg

Campbell's Select Healthy Request Italian-Style Wedding
(1 cup: 120 calories, 2.5g fat, 480mg sodium, 15g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g
sugars, 7g protein = 2 Points)
Sodium count: 480mg vs. 840mg

Progresso 50% Less Sodium Minestrone
(1 cup: 120 calories, 2g fat, 470mg sodium, 24g carbs, 4g fiber, 4g
sugars, 5g protein = 2 Points)
Sodium count: 470mg vs. 980mg

Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request Grilled Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
(1 cup: 140 calories, 2.5g fat, 480mg sodium, 22g carbs, 3g fiber, 5g
sugars, 8g protein = 2 Points)
Sodium count: 480mg vs. 850mg

Amy's Organic Light in Sodium Lentil Vegetable
(1 cup: 150 calories, 4g fat, 340mg sodium, 23g carbs, 6g fiber, 5g
sugars, 7g protein = 3 Points)
Sodium count: 340mg vs. 680mg

THE REPLY:

Thank you for submitting your question to our Nutrition Department.

We do not recommend any canned soup during the weight loss phase due to
the sodium content as well as low nutritional value. During this time,
we recommend making your own soups either using the cookbook or you can
submit your own recipes to our LA Chef feature for evaluation and
modification. You can also make soup using low sodium broth with
chicken or beef and vegetables (sized according to plan). Let us know
if you have further questions.

We will forward a copy of this email message to your center so that they
may further assist you with your program.

We wish you continued success with your LA Weight Loss Program.

Sincerely,

The LA Weight Loss Nutrition Department

Thanks for the information Cassi--good to know. I'm still going to try heating the low sodium V-8 when I get really soup hungry. It still hasn't gotten brutally cold here--but it will!!

Thanks for the infomation Cassi. I'm kinda bummed about their reply, but I guess I'll stick with the recipes all of you have posted. Or, try it Lea Ann's way.....heating up low-sodium V8's

I don't know if I buy it. Looking at the nutritional information, the sodium content is not much worse than Lean Cuisines or other things allowed OP in moderation. Hrmmm... Thoughts?

I like the V-8 idea - and it's LAWL approved!

Meagan-The ratio of sodium vs nutritional content may be what they're getting at-a lean cuisine has about 300 cal and anywhere form 500-750 mg sodium ( I think). The soups are a lot lower in calories and have around 450mg. It's not like the soups would exchange for a S and a P like the lean cuisines . . .

I dunno-that's how I read it . . .

I don't eat soup.. But I don't really buy it either. I just looked at a lean cusine I have in the freezer and the sodium and it was 630mg. And this was one of the approved ones off the list in the book. So I don't really understand why you can't have low sodium soup with only 300-400mg sodium. That just does not make any sense at all.

I guess you could take low sodium broth (or low sodium V-8 for a tomato base) and add some of the frozen veggie mixes, a bit of pasta or rice, and some protein and make up your own pretty quickly. I'll have to try this when I get my kitchen up and running.

Cassi--I knew we could count on you to create something yummy!

I use LS V-8 as a base for any veggie soup I make - since now they're veggie soups and not so much meat soups! We especially like it with green peppers, onions, and cabbage, a little fennel, garlic, and of course - freshly ground pepper! Yum. I posted (I think) what used to be a WW version of veggie soup that started with V8 and it was really good, my FIL used to make it for the family.
Hugs ya'll!

I use the V8 LS and add whole wheat pasta and protein and make a nice meal with it. If I haven't had my dairy, I shred light cheddar on top. It's good, especially for those days when I've only had one veggie and need to get more in...

Does't LAWL have their own soups? I thought I saw a recipe using a cream of mushroom ( believe it came from a powder mix???). What do they count their own soups as?

Yes, they have a Cream of Mushroom and a Cream of Chicken soup that they count as a Lite. They're pretty good to use in cassaroles, but not so hot on their own. I'd still like to use a Low Sodium Campbell's Cream of Mushroom in my casseroles though. (Yes, I'm being stubborn on this...)

I'm with you Meagain.......I am guessing that the dietician won't endorse those other soups because LAWL has their own. I think it is wise to use common sense with this program, as long as you don't distort information and manipulate it in a way that is either unhealthy or unsafe. I have made very minor adjustments to some foods, like eating whole wheat bread instead of lite bread, even though it has more calories. I am now on the all food plan, and I am averaging over 3 lbs a week. I am only in week 5, so I expect that to slow down quite a bit, however, I really feel that if you keep health first and foremost in your planning, and you tweek the program here and there to make it work for you, success is inevitable.

I also think fitday is an excellent tool to make sure you are OP all the time, even when you are making variations. I ALWAYS keep the exchanges the same.....I make sure I balance all the food groups.....but from time to time, I change actual foods a tiny little bit from the plan. If I am unsure if a change is a good decision, I use fitday to check out all of the nutritional values.

I am NOT suggesting anyone change what they are doing. If any of you are working the program as prescribed, and it is working for you......keep up the good work. I do try to stay LAWL POP as often as possible. Some days it just is more difficult than otheres. LAWL works, and it is healthy. But, if you are going to do any tweeking, make sure you are being honest with yourself about it, and stay on top of it. I hope everyone is having a POP day!!!

I don't understand not allowing the low sodium soup either. I have a box of LAWL Cream of Chicken soup that counts as a lite. Here is the nutritional info from the box. It is a powder to be dissolved in 8 oz of boiling water.
Calories 60
Total fat 0
Cholesterol 0
Sodium 700mg
Potassium 100mg
Total Carb 6 g
Fiber 1 g
Sugars 3 g
Protein 8g

The sodium is very high in this.
I still want to find out about the swiss miss I want to use as a condiment. But I forgot my box when I went in on Friday. I am taking it in tomorrow.