Canned soups
Great Value Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
10.5 oz/298 g
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 36
Great Value Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup scores 36 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
- minus 8 points 7 kinds of ultra-processing markers: Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial protein, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and modified starch. Emerging
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better soups
-
Organic Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup Pacific Foods · 10.5 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 100 out of 100 , 64 points higher -
Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup Pacific Foods · 10.5 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 89 out of 100 , 53 points higher -
Cream of mushroom semi-condensed organic soups Amy's · 400 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 91 out of 100 , 55 points higher -
Condensed cream of lortabella mushroom soup Trader Joe's · 11 oz Less salt · No added sugars Score 72 out of 100 , 36 points higher -
Slow Simmered Soup Chicken & Gnocchi Rao's · 16 oz Less salt · No added sugars Score 78 out of 100 , 42 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Modified starch minus 2.5 points
- Soybean oil minus 2.5 points
- Mechanically separated meat minus 1.5 points
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG) minus 1.5 points
- Soy protein isolate / concentrate minus 1.5 points
- Yeast extract minus 0.5 points
- Sodium phosphate minus 0.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 0.5 points
- Maltodextrin minus 0.5 points
- Soy lecithin minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 7 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 8 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 1.2 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Salt 1.8 g / 100 g minus 5 points
100 − 64 = 36
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [15]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 89 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 5.7 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.2 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8.1 g |
| Sugars | 0.8 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 1.6 g |
| Salt | 1.8 g |
Serving: 0.5 cup (123 g)
Ingredients
- CHICKEN BROTH
- MODIFIED FOOD STARCH
- SOYBEAN OIL
- COOKED CHICKEN MEAT
- WHEAT FLOUR
- SALT
- WHEY POWDER
- CHICKEN FAT
- COOKED MECHANICALLY SEPARATED CHICKEN
- MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE
- CREAM
- SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE
- SUGAR (high concern)
- AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT
- ISOLATED SOY PROTEIN
- DISODIUM PHOSPHATE
- ONION POWDER
- NATURAL FLAVOR
- YEAST EXTRACT
- MALTODEXTRIN
- BETA CAROTENE (COLOR)
- SOY LECITHIN
Label text, as published
CHICKEN BROTH, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SOYBEAN OIL, COOKED CHICKEN MEAT, WHEAT FLOUR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF SALT, WHEY POWDER, CHICKEN FAT, COOKED MECHANICALLY SEPARATED CHICKEN, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, CREAM, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SUGAR, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, ISOLATED SOY PROTEIN, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, ONION POWDER, NATURAL FLAVOR, YEAST EXTRACT, MALTODEXTRIN, BETA CAROTENE (COLOR), SOY LECITHIN.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Sources
-
Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
-
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”
doi.org
-
“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”
doi.org
-
Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
“FDA considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).”
fda.gov
-
EFSA reviews safety of glutamates added to food
“EFSA re-assessed the safety of glutamates used as food additives and derived a group acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 30 mg/kg body weight per day for all six of these additives.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
EFSA issues new advice on phosphates
“We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives
“whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
ecfr.gov
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
“For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”
who.int
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
-
“Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”
doi.org