Knorr Manchow Veg Soup — BULLSHIT
Munch or Dump rates Knorr Manchow Veg Soup by Knorr BULLSHIT — score 0/90.
Sold as '100% Real Vegetables' with 'no added preservatives' and 'Great taste is in our Nature,' but it's mostly potato starch, maltodextrin and sugar with barely 6% dried veg, hydrogenated palm oil and synthetic flavor enhancers.
Why this verdict
- '100% Real Vegetables' but dried veg is only ~6%; starch, maltodextrin and sugar dominate
- Contains hydrogenated palm oil, a trans-fat source
- Synthetic flavor-enhancer stack (627 + 631) plus hydrolyzed vegetable protein fake the savory taste
- Caramel IV color and added sugar in a product marketed as natural and wholesome
- 'Great taste is in our Nature' is marketing spin over a lab-built flavor base
Ingredients (13)
- potato starch (moderate) — Refined starch used as the bulking base; empty carbs with no real nutrition.
- Maltodextrin (concerning) — Highly refined carbohydrate with a glycemic index higher than table sugar; listed twice here.
- Sugar (concerning) — Added sugar, third by weight, feeds yeast and adds sweetness with no nutritional benefit.
- Iodised Salt (safe) — Small amount for flavor balance; iodine is beneficial.
- Dehydrated Vegetables (cabbage, garlic, onion, leeks) (safe) — The only real vegetables, but they total only about 6.2% of the mix.
- HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (concerning) — A processed glutamate source used to boost savory craving; part of the flavor-enhancer stack.
- hydrogenated palm oil (harmful) — Hydrogenated oil, a source of artificial trans fat linked to heart disease.
- Thickener (415, Xanthan Gum) (moderate) — Industrial thickener to give the thin base body.
- Caramel IV Colour (150d) (concerning) — Artificial ammonia-sulphite caramel color; contains 4-MEI, purely cosmetic.
- Nature-Identical Flavouring (soya sauce) (moderate) — Synthetic flavoring made to imitate soy sauce.
- Acidity Regulator 330 (Citric Acid) (safe) — Common acidulant, low concern.
- Anti-caking Agent (551, Silicon Dioxide) (safe) — Keeps the powder free-flowing; low concern at these amounts.
- Flavour Enhancer 627 & 631 (disodium guanylate & inosinate) (concerning) — Nucleotide flavor enhancers used with glutamate to amplify savoriness; a hallmark of engineered taste.