Whoa Panera - Watch the Sodium, Please!

slp51
slp51 Posts: 201 Member
edited November 16 in Food and Nutrition
today for lunch I tried Panera's new lentil and quinoa broth bowl with chicken. I wanted something high in protein because I was headed to the gym.

Calories: 410 = fine
Carbs: 52 g = fine
Fat: 9 g = fine
Protein: 34 g = excellent!
Sugar: 5 g = fine
Sodium: 1390 = you've got to be kidding me! Put me over my sodium allowance today. :s

Replies

  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    Yeah I've found similar things there. Same with Jimmy Johns. Especially their pickles...I mean obviously pickles have a lot of sodium but I think last time I checked a pickle from Jimmy John's was like 3x the amount of sodium of any other pickle I've had.
  • hollyrayburn
    hollyrayburn Posts: 905 Member
    All soups, canned, restaurant food have a crapton of sodium. Which sucks since I'm an on the go person :(
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    edited April 2015
    unless you have a health issue, it isn't 100% necessary to watch your sodium intake. if i eat all home cooked food and have 5 oz of deli meat on a particular day, i'm usually over MFP's recommended intake, but i don't sweat it. just make sure to drink your water :)
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    hollyrayburn wrote: »
    All soups, canned, restaurant food have a crapton of sodium. Which sucks since I'm an on the go person :(

    This. I would just take as a default assumption that any soup or broth I purchased in a restaurant was full of sodium. Unless you have a medical reason to monitor your sodium, it shouldn't be a problem.

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Most any premade soup is high sodium, but Panera soups seems especially salty to me. I don't like most of their soups because they taste more like salt than anything else.
  • scratchdesk
    scratchdesk Posts: 18 Member
    I noticed the same with Panera's bowls. I generally wonder how much of that is in the broth (which I don't finish off once the solids are done). I imagine in doing that it cuts the sodium level significantly.

    I like to keep an eye on my sodium intake levels but don't get too concerned when I go over from time to time.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    edited April 2015
    Pretty much anything you get at a restaurant is going to be high in sodium. This can't be news to anyone. Soups in particular are known for being high in sodium.

    My sodium intake is over my goal every single day and I haven't had a problem yet. Unless you have a medical condition that calls for you reducing sodium, it's no big deal. It may cause water retention, so just drink plenty of fluids to prevent that.

    Also, protein after a workout is more important than protein before a workout. I mean, there's nothing wrong with eating protein beforehand, but it's carbs that will give you the extra energy. Protein afterward assists with recovery and muscle growth.
  • rossinator63
    rossinator63 Posts: 36 Member
    Almost anything from a chain restaurant is going to be high sodium, so I avoid them whenever possible. Even in family owned restaurants, soups are typically very high in sodium. I went low sodium years ago, so when I eat someplace that over salts, I can't get past the salty flavor. Make you food taste better by using quality ingredients, not salt!
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    1300mg is over your daily consumption?

    1500mg is the DRI.

    However, that is easy to go over.

    However, it won't kill you*, so I wouldn't worry about it.


    *Underlying medical conditions not included in this statement.
  • AgentOrangeJuice
    AgentOrangeJuice Posts: 1,069 Member
    Sodium and Sugar is how fast food places make terrible quality food ingredients taste better. Enjoy!
  • abuck_13
    abuck_13 Posts: 382 Member
    LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »
    Pretty much anything you get at a restaurant is going to be high in sodium.

    This. I think most people think it will only be places like McDonalds, Subway etc, when in reality most restaurants heavily salt the food, at least in the US.

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited April 2015
    AgentOrangeJuice wrote: »
    Sodium and Sugar is how fast food places make terrible quality food ingredients taste better. Enjoy!

    Strangely enough, sodium and sugar are also used by home cooks to enhance flavor. It's almost like humans enjoy those two tastes or something.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    AgentOrangeJuice wrote: »
    Sodium and Sugar is how fast food places make terrible quality food ingredients taste better. Enjoy!

    Strangely enough, sodium and sugar are also used by home cooks to enhance flavor. It's almost like humans enjoy those two tastes or something.

    I knew I was doing something wrong when cooking at home. All of my food tastes like it came out of the toilet.
  • Deena_Bean
    Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
    Honestly, I have a love affair with all things salty. I love it. If I come back in to this world in another form, it needs to be as a horse...so I can have a salt lick. I just make sure I drink ridiculous amounts of water. No bad reports from docs or blood tests, so I'm gonna go with all is well with my method.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    No thanks, I'll take the great taste and good macro-nutrient profile over tasteless low sodium food anyday.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    The "miso-soy broth" should have clued you in to that one. haha
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    chivalryder wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    AgentOrangeJuice wrote: »
    Sodium and Sugar is how fast food places make terrible quality food ingredients taste better. Enjoy!

    Strangely enough, sodium and sugar are also used by home cooks to enhance flavor. It's almost like humans enjoy those two tastes or something.

    I knew I was doing something wrong when cooking at home. All of my food tastes like it came out of the toilet.

    Toilet water is very low in sodium and sugar, so you're on the right path.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    Deena_Bean wrote: »
    Honestly, I have a love affair with all things salty. I love it. If I come back in to this world in another form, it needs to be as a horse...so I can have a salt lick. I just make sure I drink ridiculous amounts of water. No bad reports from docs or blood tests, so I'm gonna go with all is well with my method.

    Food companies spend billions of dollars on researching the psychological effect of sweet and salty taste to try to make their food as addicting as possible.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    When I eat in restaurants...and its not very often...I CANT drink enough water the rest of the day...I am just so loaded down with salt.

    I stay away from this as much as possible.

    I don't want to hear when I am 70yrs old "remember ALL THAT salt you ate along the way well"
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    urloved33 wrote: »
    When I eat in restaurants...and its not very often...I CANT drink enough water the rest of the day...I am just so loaded down with salt.

    I stay away from this as much as possible.

    I don't want to hear when I am 70yrs old "remember ALL THAT salt you ate along the way well"

    Who the heck says that?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    slp51 wrote: »
    today for lunch I tried Panera's new lentil and quinoa broth bowl with chicken. I wanted something high in protein because I was headed to the gym.

    Calories: 410 = fine
    Carbs: 52 g = fine
    Fat: 9 g = fine
    Protein: 34 g = excellent!
    Sugar: 5 g = fine
    Sodium: 1390 = you've got to be kidding me! Put me over my sodium allowance today. :s

    News flash...pretty much anything you get at any restaurant is going to be a sodium bomb....

    We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming....
  • _incogNEATo_
    _incogNEATo_ Posts: 4,537 Member
    chivalryder wrote: »
    1300mg is over your daily consumption?

    1500mg is the DRI.

    However, that is easy to go over.

    However, it won't kill you*, so I wouldn't worry about it.


    *Underlying medical conditions not included in this statement.

    She just said that put her over her sodium allowance. I'm sure that wasn't the only thing she ate that day so she probably meant that it played a huge contributing factor in her going over her sodium allowance. I still agree that without medical conditions, it's not a big deal.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    _incogNEATo_ wrote: »
    chivalryder wrote: »
    1300mg is over your daily consumption?

    1500mg is the DRI.

    However, that is easy to go over.

    However, it won't kill you*, so I wouldn't worry about it.


    *Underlying medical conditions not included in this statement.

    She just said that put her over her sodium allowance. I'm sure that wasn't the only thing she ate that day so she probably meant that it played a huge contributing factor in her going over her sodium allowance. I still agree that without medical conditions, it's not a big deal.

    Well, she COULD just eat nothing else that contains sodium (I realize this is practically impossible).
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    Here is why you shouldn't consume an excess amount of salt

    CON: Too much salt can cause hypertension
    The number one medical problem of high salt intake is hypertension. High intake of salt causes water retention and promotes abnormal influx of water molecules into your blood vessels. This action instantaneously increases your blood volume and blood pressure. Sudden rises of blood pressure can trigger life threatening cardiovascular emergencies like strokes and heart attacks.

    CON: Too much salt can cause osteoporosis
    Sodium prevents your body’s absorption and utilization of calcium, leading to weak and brittle bones. Women after menopause, diabetics and elderly people who are already at high risk of osteoporosis should be especially careful about their salt intake.

    CON: Too much salt can lead to dehydration and swelling
    Feeling thirsty after eating something salty happens because excessive sodium in your blood draws water out of your cells and into your tissues. Dehydrated cells signal your brain for water. Having fluid filled tissue makes you look bloated and swollen, and these symptoms are especially severe in the lower parts of your body. Reducing your salt intake is an effective way of preventing a swollen body.

    CON: Too much salt can cause kidney disorders
    All the excess sodium you consume that is not used by your body goes into your urine. This can increase the filtration load of your kidneys and increase the likelihood of crystal formation. Elevated blood pressure and blood volume are also extremely damaging to your kidneys.

  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    chivalryder wrote: »
    urloved33 wrote: »
    When I eat in restaurants...and its not very often...I CANT drink enough water the rest of the day...I am just so loaded down with salt.

    I stay away from this as much as possible.

    I don't want to hear when I am 70yrs old "remember ALL THAT salt you ate along the way well"

    Who the heck says that?

    Seriously.

    I never track sodium and didn’t realize other people were so intense about it. I really wonder how important it is. I recently noticed Quest bars have a fair amount of sodium. My guess is, that’s a big part of the reason they taste so good. I actually try to eat more salt. Sometimes I put it in my coffee. I have really low BP so I love the salt.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Most any premade soup is high sodium, but Panera soups seems especially salty to me. I don't like most of their soups because they taste more like salt than anything else.

    Agreed.

    It's tough with pre-made food...extra sodium is so often a mask for mediocre ingredients...
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    Was the bowl good, though? I'm seriously thinking about going there for lunch.
  • slp51
    slp51 Posts: 201 Member
    Thanks for all the responses and encouragement. I do not like overly salty foods. And I have osteoporosis so I do need to watch my sodium intake. I'm usually under MFP's recommended daily sodium allowance, but yes, Panera threw me way over that day. And no, Panara wasn't the only thing I ate that day.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I'm not much a soup person, nor do I track my sodium, so with a grain of 'salt' I say - the only problem I have with Panera is how far away the closest one is from me.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories