Progresso Light Southwestern Style Vegetable Soup — DUMP

Munch or Dump rates Progresso Light Southwestern Style Vegetable Soup by Progresso DUMP — score 17/90.

A real vegetable base buried under a long additive tail and a triple umami-booster stack engineered to fake savory depth.

Why this verdict

• Triple umami-booster stack: hydrolyzed corn protein + yeast extract + torula yeast fake a meaty savoriness
• Over 18 ingredients with a heavy additive tail (modified starch, xanthan gum, sodium phosphate, citric acid)
• Modified food starch and soluble corn fiber are industrial texture/bulk fillers, not real food
• 470 mg sodium per cup despite the 'Light' positioning

Ingredients (20)

• Chicken broth (safe) — Standard soup base.
• Celery (safe) — Real vegetable.
• Tomatoes (safe) — Whole real food, the bulk of the can.
• carrots (safe) — Real vegetable.
• Green sweet peppers (safe) — Real vegetable, vitamin C.
• Corn (safe) — Whole sweet corn kernels; a real vegetable providing fiber and some vitamins.
• black beans (safe) — A whole-food legume delivering fiber, plant protein, iron and folate. Rinse before use to shed any canning sodium.
• RED BELL PEPPERS (safe) — Whole vegetable.
• Corn protein (hydrolyzed) (concerning) — A flavor enhancer that delivers free glutamate like MSG; signals engineered savoriness.
• Salt (moderate) — Used in moderation, might exceed necessary amount.
• Xanthan Gum (moderate) — Industrial thickener.
• soluble corn fiber (moderate) — Isolated fiber used to bulk the bar and lower net carbs; can cause GI upset in quantity.
• POTASSIUM CHLORIDE (safe) — A salt substitute used to trim sodium; fine for most.
• Natural flavor (moderate) — Undisclosed flavor blend; minor but not fully transparent.
• YEAST EXTRACT (moderate) — A hidden source of free glutamate, stacked with MSG for umami.
• torula yeast (caution) — Another glutamate-rich enhancer stacking savory intensity.
• modified food starch (moderate) — Industrial thickener that gives the condensed texture; a processing marker.
• Sodium Phosphate (caution) — Emulsifying salt; helps the cheese melt smooth, adds sodium and phosphate load.
• citric acid (safe) — Acidity and tartness adjuster.
• Sugar (moderate) — Added for sweetness, can contribute to calorie content.