An overwhelming body of research has found that a high-salt diet leads to high blood pressure, which leads to kidney failure, strokes, heart attacks, dementia, and other maiming, life-threatening woes.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average American consumes about 3,500 milligrams of sodium every day, more than twice the upper limit of 1,500 milligrams recommended by leading health groups like the American Heart Association and Centers for Disease Control.

That’s right, we’re supposed to be consuming no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day. But guess how much sodium is in one typical can of Campbell’s soup? About 1,400 to 1,800 milligrams.

So with just one can of Campbell’s soup, we’re often using up our total daily allotment for sodium. Mmm mmm good? Not even close if we want good arteries, good blood pressure, and good health.

Even Campbell’s “Healthy Request” soups are packed with sodium. Most cans tally up more than 800 milligrams of sodium. That’s more than half the amount of sodium we should be eating for the entire day. If our “request” is stiff arteries, these soups will do the job.

When shopping for soups, don’t trust claims like “Reduced Sodium” on the front of the can or box. Always turn the product around and check the “Nutrition Facts” label. Optimally, look for soups in which the amount of sodium in milligrams does not exceed the amount of calories, per serving.

How much salt should you have per day? Find out what the Institute of Medicine, comprised of the nation's leading scientists, recommends. How much salt should you have per day?

So, for example, if your serving of soup is 200 calories, keep your serving of sodium at 200 milligrams or less.

The good news is, there are some genuinely low-in-sodium, ready-to-eat soups out there.

Check out, for example:

Trader Joe’s Low-Sodium Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup (140mg of sodium per cup)

Pritikin’s Low-Sodium Chicken Noodle Soup (115mg of sodium per cup)

And, in the freezer section of many grocery stores, Tabatchnick’s Low-Sodium Soups (which average about 70mg per cup).

The above are truly mmm mmm good for you. They won’t shoot your sodium allowance for the whole day.

Author, Eugenia Killoran