Vaughn's Summaries

Food Summaries
Manufactured Food

High Salt Content in
Trader Joe's Prepared Foods

by Vaughn Aubuchon

I have high blood pressure. I eat a lot of Trader Joe's. The following page highlights the amount of salt in some of Trader Joe's prepared foods in the deli case. Take note of the high levels of sodium in these products.
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Millions of Americans are harming their health, by eating too much sodium. If you have high blood pressure, you need to READ the labels, and act accordingly.

Awareness is everything. The following items are now OFF my list of Trader Joe's healthy prepared foods. TOO MUCH SALT, for this high-risk consumer!
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     Menu
     Trader Joe's Prepared Foods -
     Salt Content Comparison

1. Turkey Meatloaf

(a) 5

670

140

6

2. Chicken Pot Pie

6

3. Chicken Breast Coconut Curry

650

163

4. Beef Stir Fry

7

4.1 - Chicken Meatballs (Sun)

12

74

(a) 5

500

208

4

5. Meat Lasagna

6. Chicken Enchiladas

7. Eggplant Parmesan

93

8. Pulled Pork in BBQ Sauce

680

3

8.1 - Pulled Beef Brisket

16

151

3

670

4

Buff. Style Chicken Wrap

10.5

149

2

184

8

Italian Style Wrap

10

142

2

194

9

8.2 - O.F. Potato Salad

20

125

(a) 4.5

430

97

3

8.3 - White M. Chicken Salad

10.5

99

630

180

3

8.4 - Chicken Meatballs (Buf.)

12

74

(a) 4.5

390

146

3

9. Chicken Lasagna

410

58

9.1 - Chicken Cacciatore

16

140

530

99

4

9.2 - Rosemary Chicken

18

255

2

84

4

10. Chicken Marsala

88

7

Chicken Piccata

16

227

91

10.1 - Chicken Parmesan

20

283

36

7

10.2 - Peas, Pancetta, Pasta

16

150

3

480

30

9

Pork Belly (wad of pig fat)

12

85

350

1

Organic Beef Sirloin Roast

16

85

(a) 5

270

84

3

11. Stuffed Peppers

630

84

7

Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fett.

16

510

64

8

12. Beef Stroganoff

470

61

4

Linguine Pasta

470

55

13. BBQ Chicken Salad

70

8

14. Chicken Asada

460*

61

15. Mushroom Tortelloni

(1c) 140

350

73

9

was 440

Notes:
1. (a) = "about"

2. One does NOT eat an artificially-contrived "Serving Size" - one eats what is in the package. I have therefore listed the amount of sodium in the PACKAGE, not the bullspit "Serving Size", which is reduced from reality to hide the bad news.

3. If one should eat any 1 of the top 10 items from this list in a single day, one has eaten TOO MUCH sodium for the day. Combine that with the salt from breakfast (bacon, cheese, roll, etc.), and you have gone WAY over the top.

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240 - 605

55

55

55

55

55

45

45

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1. Trader Joe's
Turkey Meatloaf
w/ Tomato Sauce



FAR too much salt.
Salt is mentioned SIX times in the ingredients.
Hidden MSG = Enzymes (line 8).
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by reduced contrast, all CAPS.
(Pink text on red background)
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2. Trader Joe's
Chicken Pot Pie

FAR too much salt.
Salt is mentioned SIX times in the ingredients.
Hidden MSG = Modified Food Starch (line 2).
Hidden MSG = Yeast Extract . . . . . (line 3).
Hidden MSG = Modified Food Starch (line 12).
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by reduced contrast, small print, all CAPS.
(Black text on dark yellow background)
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3. Trader Joe's
Chicken Breast Medalions
w/ Coconut Red Curry

TJ's PHONY Photo = Lots of Chicken, Little Goo



ACTUAL Photo - Shows 100% Salty Goo. Chicken?

Salt is mentioned FIVE times in the ingredients.
FAR too much salt. Saltiest goo ever?
Hidden MSG = Modified Food Starch (line 3).
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by HUGELY reduced contrast.
(Black text on dark brown background)

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4. Trader Joe's
Beef Tenderloin Stir Fry

Salt is mentioned SEVEN times in the ingredients.
Hidden MSG = Modified Corn Starch (line 4)
Hidden MSG = Auto. Yeast extract (line 7)
Hidden MSG = Auto. Yeast extract (line 8)
Hidden MSG = Yeast extract . . . (line 13)
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by reduced contrast, all CAPS.
(Dark brown text on light brown background).
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4.1. Trader Joe's
Gourmet Chicken Meatballs
w/ Sun-Dried Tomatoes

THESE MEATBALLS SUCK!
Wadballs of fat and salt - YUCK!

Salt is mentioned 4 times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = Yeast extract (line 13).
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by reduced contrast, all CAPS.
(Yellow text on green background).
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5. Trader Joe's
Meat Lasagna

Salt is mentioned FIVE times in the ingredients.
Too much salt. High saturated fat.
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by reduced contrast
(White text on light blue background).
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6. Trader Joe's
Chicken Enchiladas in Red Sauce



Salt is mentioned FIVE times in the ingredients.
FAR too much salt. Very high saturated fat.
Hidden MSG = Modified Potato Starch (line 2).
Hidden MSG = Modified Corn Starch (line 8).
Ingredient List: EXCELLENT text visibility.
(White text on a dark brown background)
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7. Trader Joe's
Eggplant Parmesan



Salt is mentioned FIVE times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = Modified Corn Starch (line 4).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL TALL CAPS.
(Black text on a dark green background)
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8. Trader Joe's
Pulled Pork in BBQ Sauce



Salt is mentioned THREE times in the ingredients.
Too much salt. Too much fat.
Hidden MSG = ?
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL TALL CAPS.
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8.1. Trader Joe's
Pulled Beef Brisket
in Smoky BBQ Sauce



Salt is mentioned 4 times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = ??? (line xx).
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by reduced contrast, all CAPS.
(Brown text on yellow background).
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8.2. Trader Joe's
Old Fashioned Potato Salad



Salt is mentioned 3 times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = Modified Corn Starch (line xx).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL CAPS.
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8.3. Trader Joe's
White Meat Chicken Salad



Salt is mentioned 3 times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = Modified Potato Starch (line 4).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL CAPS.

Try this - Instead of "salt to taste", try "Unsalt to taste".
Dump the contents into a large sieve, and run it
under hot water to wash off the "dressing".
MUCH better, but it still screams for a few water chestnuts.
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8.4. Trader Joe's
Gourmet Chicken Meatballs
Spicy Buffalo Style

THESE MEATBALLS SUCK!
Wadballs of fat and salt - YUCK!

Salt is mentioned THREE times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = Yeast extract (line 9).
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by reduced contrast, all CAPS.
(Yellow text on red background).
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9. Trader Joe's
Chicken Lasagna



Salt is mentioned FIVE times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = Modified Corn Starch (line 10).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL CAPS.
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9.1. Trader Joe's
Grilled Chicken Cacciatore



Salt is mentioned 4 times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = Modified Food Starch (line 5).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL CAPS.
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9.2. Trader Joe's
Roasted Rosemary Boneless Chicken



Salt is mentioned 4 times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = ??? (line xx).
Ingredient List: Excellent ingredient list visibility.
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10. Trader Joe's
Chicken Marsala
w/ Mashed Potatoes



Salt is mentioned SEVEN times in the ingredients.
Hidden MSG = Modified cornstarch (line 6)
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by reduced contrast, all CAPS.
(Black text on brown background).
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10.1. Trader Joe's
Chicken Parmesan
w/ Linguine



Salt is mentioned 7 times in the ingredients.
Too much salt.
Hidden MSG = ??? (line xx).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL CAPS.
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10.2. Trader Joe's
Peas, Pancetta and Pasta



Salt is mentioned 9 times in the ingredients.
Too much salt. Too much fat.
Hidden MSG = ??? (line xx).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL CAPS.
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11. Trader Joe's
Stuffed Peppers
w/ Turkey and Rice


Salt is mentioned SEVEN times in the ingredients.
I love these, but I need to cut back on salt.
Hidden MSG = Modified Corn Starch (line 17).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL CAPS.
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12. Trader Joe's
Beef Stroganoff

Salt is mentioned FOUR times in the ingredients.
Delicious! Back off. Very high fat.
Hidden MSG = Yeast Extract (line 2).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL TALL CAPS.
Reduced contrast
(Black text on a brown background)
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13. Trader Joe's
BBQ Chicken Salad


Salt is mentioned EIGHT times in the ingredients.
To reduce salt intake, toss 1/2 the dressing.
They give you too much, anyway.
Hidden MSG = Modified Corn Starch (line 26).
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL TALL CAPS,
and funky resolution printing.
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14. Trader Joe's
Chicken Asada

Salt is mentioned FIVE times in the ingredients.
A true contender for TJs "Top Dish". My favorite.
Ingredient List: Standard Obfuscation by using ALL CAPS.
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15. Trader Joe's
Mushroom Tortelloni

Salt is mentioned NINE times in the ingredients.
Very tasty. Plenty of salt.
Hidden MSG = Yeast Extract (line 9).
Ingredient List: Obfuscation by reduced contrast.
(Yellow text on a brown background)
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ATTITUDE & OUTLOOK

On Feb. 23, 2013, I asked an employee at Trader Joe's in Cxxxxxxx, "Why does Trader Joe's put so much salt in their food?"
He replied, "Trader Joe does NOT put ANY salt in the food. The people who make the food put the salt in."

Need I rephrase the question?

The answer to my question may be, "Trader Joe cares little about your health, only profits. We INSTRUCT our vendors how much salt to add, in every case. If you don't like it, too bad, you picky customer. Don't tell us your preferences, just go away."

Try living on Trader Joe's prepared dishes, and you may eventually suffer ill effects from high blood pressure, such as heart attack and stroke.

Seniors and black folks are at highest risk.
Increased salt causes increased water retention. Water retention results in higher blood volume. Higher blood volume results in higher blood pressure. The most popular blood pressure lowering medicine is a diuretic called HCTZ - HydroChloroThiaZide, which removes excess salt from the body.

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Individual American
Daily Salt Consumption

Average Daily Consumption

3,500 mg

Old Guideline Maximum

2,300 mg

New Guideline Maximum

1,500 mg

Eating JUST ONE of the top 10 items on this page, will put you WAY OVER your recommended daily sodium intake.

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Vaughn's Other
Dietary SALT Related Pages

* Fast Food Salt

* Safeway Signature Salt

* Salt in Beans and Chili

* Salt in Progresso Soup

* Salt in Trader Joe's

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DISCLAIMER:
Trader Joe's is the trademark of Trader Joe's company.
The author has no relationship with Trader Joe's.
The author has no medical training. No advice is intended.
Although the author has tried to be as accurate as possible, errors and misstatements are possible.
Consult your doctor for personal nutrition advice.

Most food manufacturers obscure their ingredient lists by using low contrast text, or by using tightly spaced ALL TALL CAPS, to make them harder to read. Trader Joe's does the same.

On Trader Joe's website, they state, "*All Products In The Trader Joe's Label Promise: NO MSG". Trader Joe's IGNORES the literature regarding HIDDEN MSG, as found in "enzymes", "modified corn starch", "yeast extract", etc.

I could not find a chart like the above. So, I assembled this list of ingredients found in some of Trader Joe's prepared foods, to help myself compare available options. I hope that you find it useful.

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Tags: salt content, sodium content, trader joe's, prepared foods

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This Vaughns Trader Joe's Prepared Food Sodium
Comparison was last updated on 2019-10-05.