Liquid Diet

This entire week, I’ve been talking about liquids in the diet. Mostly because many of us tend to forget about or discount the impact that the liquids we choose have on our waistline, mood, and health. It’s almost like they don’t count.

I frequently make soups or use broths for cooking grains or sauces and there are lots of choices out there. There are ready-made broths in cans and cartons, bouillon cubes and granules or powders. Ideally, a home-made stock is the best option, but we don't always have the time for that.

One of the products I’ve come to love is something called Better Than Bouillon. It’s an organic, concentrated vegetable paste that is free from some of the ingredients found in many powdered and cube broth concentrates, such as:

• partially hydrogenated oils
• monosodium glutamate
• disodium inositate
• corn starch
• corn syrup solids
• artificial caramel color
• TBHQ

They are made primarily from meat, seafood, or vegetables that gives them a rich, savory flavor. The bases also come in a glass jar so there’s no BPA to worry about from a can and they take up less space than cans. Just one teaspoon of the concentrated paste equals one bouillon cube or one 8 oz. can of broth.

I will say that it is still high in sodium but still lower than canned. For example, a teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon has ~700 mg sodium and a can of 50% less sodium chicken broth has 900 mg. Relative to full-sodium broth, then, Better Than Bouillon’s sodium content is much lower.

Try it in soups, stews, grain dishes, gravies, and sauces. I’ve even used it as a savory drink instead of tea (not full-strength, though). It's one of my favorite products out there and I hope you get an opportunity to try it!