Why is Chunky vegetable soup classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

The soup is rated NOVA 4 because it includes several refined ingredients such as vegetable extracts (carrot, lovage root, sage, parsley), a natural flavouring, a natural colour derived from B‑carotene, yeast extract and a small amount of caramelised sugar, all of which require industrial processing beyond simple chopping and cooking.

How does the sugar and salt content of Chunky vegetable soup affect a diabetic or hypertensive diet?

With 2.4 g of sugar and 0.43 g of salt per 100 g, the soup is lower in both sugar and sodium than many comparable soups, but the sugar still contributes to carbohydrate intake for diabetics and the salt adds about 170 mg of sodium per serving, so portion control is recommended for both conditions.

Is Chunky vegetable soup suitable for vegan, gluten‑free and keto diets?

All the listed ingredients are plant‑based, making the soup vegan and it contains no wheat, barley or rye, so it is gluten‑free; however, the presence of cornflour and a carbohydrate total of 7.8 g per 100 g means it is not compatible with a strict keto diet.

Marks & Spencer • 400 g

Chunky vegetable soup

Fruits And Vegetables

Product Insights

Chunky vegetable soup is a plant‑based meal belonging to the fruits‑and‑vegetables group, marketed by Marks & Spencer in 400 g tins. It carries a Nutri‑Score of B and is classified as NOVA 4, reflecting its use of multiple vegetable extracts, natural flavourings and colourings despite its simple ingredient list. Nutritionally it is low in fat (0.3 g), low in sugars (2.4 g) and moderate in salt (0.43 g) per 100 g, providing 45 kcal and 2 g of protein, but the presence of processed extracts and added sugars keeps it from being a ‘clean‑label’ product.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

low

Saturated Fat

low

Sugars

low

Salt

moderate

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal45 kcal

Fat0.3 g

Saturated Fat0.1 g

Carbohydrates7.8 g

Sugars2.4 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average vegetable soup, this chunky soup contains about half the sugar, less than a fifth of the salt, and roughly a third of the calories per 100 g.

Ingredients

Water, Carrots (18%), Yellow Split Peas, Onions (14%), Peas (7%), Potatoes (6%), Cornflour, Tomatoes, Salt, Dried Onions, Yeast Extract, Rapeseed Oil, Natural Flavouring, Parsley, Ground White Pepper, Dried Garlic, Carrot Extract, Caramelised Sugar, Lovage Root Extract, Sage Extract, Turmeric, Parsley Extract, Natural Colour (B-carotenes).

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