Digesting The Label is a series that takes a look at what exactly is in the food we're buying and eating from a nutritional standpoint. Every two weeks, we'll examine a food and help determine whether or not it's all it's cut out to be .. or in some cases, even better for us than we thought. This week, we're looking at the sodium content in gravy mixes.
The holiday season is quickly approaching, which means for those of us who love to cook, it's time to start thinking about holiday dinners. Although gravy is more of a Thanksgiving side dish, many people still like to roast up a bird and pour some savoury gravy over it for Christmas too.
But if you don't feel like making your own — you should try though, there are so many options out there you can do — instant gravy mixes make for a quick meal and solid taste. And if you have a lot of people to serve, it's not a bad idea to go with a store-bought brand.
For the most part, gravies included in the slideshow this week all stayed below the 400 mg of sodium per serving. One we would like to point out, Club House's poutine gravy, had 700 mg for 1/5 of the package — that's 29 per cent of your daily intake of salt.
And since gravy ends up being a key ingredients for so many meals, you might want to also try your own vegan versions for a healthier take. Porcini and cremini mushrooms, Shape magazine notes, have a meaty flavour that's perfect for gravy.
"They're also high in heart-healthy nutrients, like selenium and vitamin B12," the site reports.
Note, we did not rank each gravy packet this week, because serving sizes differed for some of the brands. And of course, adding additional ingredients to your gravy like broth or seasoning will change its sodium content. Let us know, is your favourite gravy on the list?
