Vegan Bouillon Instant Vegetable Stock Powder ORIGINAL — OKAY

Munch or Dump rates Vegan Bouillon Instant Vegetable Stock Powder ORIGINAL by marigold OKAY — score 62/90.

A salt-and-flavor-enhancer base dressed up as vegetables. Sea salt is the #1 ingredient and hydrolysed vegetable protein does the heavy umami lifting, while real vegetables are just 7%.

Why this verdict

• Sea salt is the #1 ingredient — this is a very high-sodium seasoning
• Hydrolysed vegetable protein is a manufactured flavor enhancer delivering free glutamate (an MSG-style umami hit)
• Actual vegetables are only 7%; the 'vegetable' name is mostly salt and starch
• Refined potato starch and vegetable oil round out a built-in-a-factory flavor base

Ingredients (13)

• Sea Salt (moderate) — Sodium source; no nutritional edge over regular salt.
• potato starch (safe) — Anti-caking agent to keep shreds separate.
• Hydrolysed vegetable protein (containing soya) (concerning) — A chemically or enzymatically broken-down protein that releases free glutamate — the same umami mechanism as MSG, used here as the main flavor enhancer.
• Vegetable oil (sunflower, rapeseed) (moderate) — Refined seed oils added for mouthfeel and to carry flavor; processed fat with no whole-food value.
• Vegetables 7% (onion, parsnip, carrot, leek) (safe) — The genuine vegetable content, but at only 7% it is a minority of the powder.
• celery seed (safe) — A real spice contributing savory aroma in trace amounts.
• parsley (safe) — Culinary herb.
• Turmeric (safe) — Natural yellow color and a mild anti-inflammatory spice.
• white pepper (safe) — Spice for flavour, no health concern.
• GARLIC (safe) — Real aromatic. Whole food.
• Mace (safe) — A genuine spice (the outer coating of nutmeg) used in trace amounts.
• Lovage (safe) — A real culinary herb with a celery-like flavor.
• nutmeg (safe) — Natural spice.