Is Dinty Moore Beef Stew good for you

Is Dinty Moore beef stew healthy? You may have thought about it if you simply love the convenience of eating canned food.

There is a wide selection of brands when you go shopping for canned soup.

However, many of them have too much salt and lack a healthy balance of nutrients.

So, how do you determine whether or not a particular brand of canned soup is indeed healthy?

Or, more specifically, “Is Dinty Moore beef stew good for you?”

No, it is not a very healthy option because it contains over 200 calories per serving and is very high in sodium (990mg).

Fact: Dinty Moore has been a trusted name in the world of canned beef stew for well over 80 years now. 

Dinty Moore remains a favorite despite widespread concerns about its safety. It never ceases to surprise and please new fans.

The beef variety, the line’s best-seller by far, dates back to the 1930s.

A few minor adjustments were made to the original recipe over the years; otherwise, it has stayed unchanged.

In order to learn more about how healthy it is, you need to pay attention to Dinty Moore beef stew ingredients. 

What Is Included in Dinty Moore Beef Stew?

There are a number of ingredients available in Dinty Moore.

Though it claims to be free of preservatives, some ingredients like maltodextrin, caramel color, and modified cornstarch raise people’s concerns about its safety.

Here are some of its major ingredients:

• Beef
• Beef broth
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Corn flour
• Mushroom extract
• Textured vegetable protein
• Sugar
• Flavoring

Now, based on these ingredients, you have to look deeply into the nutrient profile of Dinty Moore.

You have to consider its sodium content, energy density, and availability of vitamins and minerals to know if it is healthy. 

What is the Sodium Content of Dinty Moore Beef Stew?

The high salt level of some canned soups is a major health problem.

The salt content of many commercially available soups is quite high.

For instance, one popular brand of chicken noodle and vegetable soup has a shocking 890 mg of sodium in only 1/2 cup of its condensed serving.

Talk about the beef stew from Dinty Moore and each cup serving gives you a whopping 990mg of sodium.

If you want to tag canned soup as healthy, you need to ensure that the salt content is never about 600mg.

Since Dinty Moore falls outside of this range, you may need to practice care if you really want to include it in your diet.

Remember, it is important to reduce your daily salt intake to less than 2,300 mg.

And limit it to under 1,500mg if you have kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, are African American, or are 51 or older. 

What is the Energy Density of Dinty Moore Beef Stew?

What is meant by the term “energy density”?

Simply put, it is the number of calories that may be obtained from a single gram of food.

High-water-content foods have a lower calorie density than their fatty counterparts.

Despite having the same number of calories, foods with a lower energy density allow you to eat a greater quantity. 

What about Canned Soups and Stews?

Since they include more water and fewer calories from fat, canned soups made with broth are usually not that energy dense. 

A modest bowl of broth-based soup consumed before each meal will help you feel full while eating fewer calories. 

How many Calories in Dinty Moore Beef Stew?

Things are different in the case of Dinty Moore because each 236g serving contains about 201 calories. 

The problem is that you are likely to eat more because of its low energy density, thanks to the broth.

If you overeat, you will end up developing health problems, not just because you increase your calorie intake but also because you load up on sodium.

Fact: Canning may be good to get more antioxidants out of some foods, such as tomatoes. 

Are there Vitamins, Minerals, and Fiber in Dinty Moore?

Experts suggest picking canned soups that have at least 10% of your daily dose of fiber and are loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Research shows that males aged 19-50 require approximately 38g of fiber daily, while females in the same age range only require 25g.

Vegetables and beans are excellent sources of fiber and other minerals, and Dinty Moore has some vegetables included in it. The problem is that those veggies come in high-sodium broth.

Because of those ingredients, Dinty Moore beef stew contains 17g of carbs, 3g of which is sugar, and only 0.9g is dietary fiber. 

It offers less than 10% of your daily fiber intake, so you cannot take it as a good source of fiber. 

Are There any Vitamins and Minerals in Dinty Moore Beef Stew?

Yes, there are, but not as many as you would like.

It does provide you with some vitamin C – each serving has about 1.2mg of vitamin C. A bit of iron (0.73mg) is also available. But that is about it!

Each serving (236g) provides you with 10g of fat along with 31mg of cholesterol.

Fact: GreenScore rating for Dinty Moore Beef Stew is 58 out of 100, which is okay but not as high as you would like. 

Is Dinty Moore a Healthy Choice on Keto?

The ketogenic diet is a conventional nutritional therapy used mostly to treat intractable forms of epilepsy in children.

But, it is the latest trend, and people are doing keto to reverse diabetes and prevent other metabolic syndromes.

It is heavy in fat but contains sufficient protein and little carbohydrates.

The diet is designed to make the body rely more on fat for energy production than carbohydrates. 

Can You Eat Dinty Moore Stew on Keto?

Probably not!

On the ketogenic diet, you should stay away from Dinty Moore Beef Stew since it is a high-carb food that contains modified starch, sugar, and maltodextrin, all of which are bad. 

It is High in Net Carbs

On keto, you need to limit your carbs intake to under 20g/day, or else you will not achieve or maintain a state of ketosis.

Dinty Moore beef stew is not a great choice because even a 100g serving contains 6.8g of carbs. 

It Contains Modified Starch

Another reason you cannot enjoy Dinty Moore stew on keto is because of modified cornstarch.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding modified starch which is considered an additive unsuitable for keto. 

It Contains Various Sweeteners

Not just sweeteners, it comes with sweeteners that rank high on the glycemic index, which is why it is not allowed on keto.

The idea is to limit your carbs and sugar intake to lower the insulin levels in the body.

But, sweeteners like maltodextrin and sugar can throw everything out of whack. 

Note

To really enjoy the canned soup on Keto, you need to find one with sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia, or erythritol.

Is There a Healthier Alternative to Dinty Moore Beef Stew?

To enjoy beef stew without worrying too much about its consequences, you may want to make it at home.

Easy and delicious, this beef stew is a must-try.

Tender beef chunks, carrots, and potatoes simmer in a savory gravy for a satisfying one-pot supper.

This beef stew recipe is pure comfort food because of the velvety sauce it is cooked in. 

How to Cook Your Homemade Beef Stew?

It does not have to be that complicated, especially when your focus is to make a healthier alternative to Dinty Moore beef stew.

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 325F.
2. Take the beef chunks and prep them with salt and pepper.
3. Take some olive oil in a cup and heat in a Dutch oven.
4. Keep the heat at medium.
5. Cook your beef partially and stop when it is brown.
6. Take it out on a plate and set it aside.
7. Add the garlic, onions, and carrots to the oven and cook.
8. Be sure to stir occasionally for a couple of minutes.
9. Add beef broth, potatoes, bay leaf, tomato paste, and thyme.
10. Add some Worcestershire sauce if you want.
11. Mix everything well and simmer.
12. Add the beef to the pot and cook in the oven.
13. Be sure to cook your stew for at least a couple of hours.

Voila!

Fact: You lose water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins B and C because of the high heat used in the canning process. 

Takeaway

Eating canned food may not always be healthy, but it depends on the ingredients and the canning process.

Is Dinty Moore beef stew healthy? Not really!

You still lose various vitamins and minerals, and it is very high in sodium.

Yet, it does not mean you cannot enjoy it. Just eat sparingly to watch your sodium intake and you will be good to go.

What kind of meat is in Dinty Moore stew?

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