Signature Cafe Broccoli Cheddar Soup — TREAT
Munch or Dump rates Signature Cafe Broccoli Cheddar Soup by Signature Cafe TREAT — score 43/90.
A genuinely dairy-heavy deli soup built on milk, cream, cheddar and real broccoli, so the base is real food rather than a chemistry set. But it is fat and sodium heavy, and the long tail of modified starch, sodium citrate, cultured dextrose and yeast extract makes it a formulated product, not something you would simmer at home. Enjoy it as an indulgent bowl, not an everyday health food.
Why this verdict
- Real dairy and broccoli lead the list, but 22g fat (13g saturated) and 801mg sodium per serving make it an indulgence
- Yeast extract adds free glutamate as a flavor booster
- Modified corn starch, sodium citrate and cultured dextrose are processing aids, not kitchen ingredients
- Coloring is natural (paprika and annatto), so no artificial dye penalty
- Ingredient list runs past 18 items, most of them dairy fractions and additives
Ingredients (9)
- Milk (safe) — Real dairy base.
- LIGHT CREAM (moderate) — Adds saturated fat.
- Broccoli (safe) — A whole cruciferous vegetable - high in fiber, vitamin C and folate, nothing added.
- CHEDDAR CHEESE (safe) — Real cheddar, but a small fraction of the mix.
- Modified Corn Starch (moderate) — Thickener/stabilizer that gives the sauce body.
- Cultured Dextrose (moderate) — Fermentation-derived preservative and mild sugar.
- YEAST EXTRACT (moderate) — A hidden source of free glutamate, stacked with MSG for umami.
- sodium citrate (moderate) — Emulsifying salt in the process cheese.
- Oleoresin paprika & annatto (safe) — Natural coloring, not artificial dye.