Pea, Ham & Leek Soup with a hint of mint — OKAY

Munch or Dump rates Pea, Ham & Leek Soup with a hint of mint by New Covent Garden Soup Co OKAY — score 60/90.

A genuinely fresh, mostly whole-food soup let down by one thing: the ham's sodium nitrite, a preservative the brand otherwise builds its whole image on avoiding.

Why this verdict

• Mostly whole-food ingredients: peas, potatoes, onions, leeks, butter, herbs
• No artificial colors, flavor enhancers, emulsifiers or modified starches
• Ham carries sodium nitrite, a preservative tied to nitrosamine formation
• Salt shows up in the bouillon, the ham and as added salt, so sodium adds up

Ingredients (14)

• Water (safe) — First ingredient by weight; this pudding is mostly water, not milk.
• Peas (25%) (safe) — Whole legume, fiber and plant protein.
• potatoes (safe) — The dominant ingredient at ~90%; a real whole vegetable with fiber and potassium.
• Onions (10%) (safe) — Whole vegetable.
• Ham (4.5%) (moderate) — Cured pork; processed meat, contributes salt and the nitrite preservative.
• Sodium nitrite (preservative in ham) (concerning) — Curing agent that can form nitrosamines; the one genuinely processed additive here.
• Leeks (4%) (safe) — Whole vegetable.
• SALTED BUTTER (safe) — Real dairy fat; fine in modest amounts.
• Vegetable bouillon (moderate) — Salt and yeast extract plus dried veg; flavor base, adds sodium.
• Salt (moderate) — Ready meals tend to run salt-heavy; watch the sodium.
• GARLIC (safe) — Whole garlic, flavor and minor health benefits.
• parsley (safe) — Fresh herb, negligible downside.
• MINT (safe) — Herb.
• white pepper (safe) — Ordinary spice, no concern.