Bean with Bacon Condensed Soup — ENGINEERED
Munch or Dump rates Bean with Bacon Condensed Soup by Hyvee ENGINEERED — score 30/90.
Beans give it real fiber and protein, but it's built on a cured-bacon-plus-MSG flavor stack, modified corn starch, and added sugar that push it firmly into engineered, ultra-processed territory.
Why this verdict
- MSG plus natural smoke flavoring is a manufactured flavor stack, not real seasoning
- Bacon is cured with sodium nitrate and sodium erythorbate, preservatives linked to processed-meat risk
- Modified corn starch is an industrial texturizer signaling ultra-processing
- Very high sodium (~850mg per serving) on top of added sugar
- Reads NOVA-4: real beans buried under additives
Ingredients (14)
- Prepared white beans (safe) — Whole legume providing real fiber and plant protein.
- Water (safe) — Dilutes the vinegar to a usable acidity. Inert.
- Tomato Puree (safe) — Concentrated tomato, fine and contributes some lycopene.
- Bacon (cured with sodium nitrate, sodium erythorbate, sodium phosphate) (concerning) — Processed cured meat; nitrate-cured pork is a Group 1 carcinogen and adds saturated fat and salt.
- wheat flour (moderate) — Refined flour acts as the chewy binder. Adds quick-digesting carbs and contains gluten.
- carrots (safe) — Real vegetable, trace amount.
- Salt (moderate) — Common seasoning but can contribute to high sodium intake.
- Modified Corn Starch (concerning) — Industrially modified thickener — ultra-processed.
- Sugar (concerning) — Second ingredient and the dominant nutritional driver; added sugar in liquid form spikes blood glucose and adds empty calories.
- Celery (safe) — Minor real ingredient for flavor; common allergen.
- dehydrated onions (safe) — Dried real aromatic for flavor.
- MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (moderate) — Flavor enhancer engineered to boost savoriness and adds to sodium.
- spice (safe) — Generic seasoning, neutral.
- natural smoke flavoring (moderate) — Manufactured flavoring used to fake a smoked taste; part of the engineered flavor stack.