Typically, the fewer ingredients a food contains, the healthier that food tends to be, but that’s not the case with Campbell’s Tomato Soup.
Let me explain what the label doesn’t tell you.
Campbell’s Tomato Soup ingredients:
- Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste)
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Wheat Flour
- Water (contains chlorine and fluoride, which destroy your immune system)
- Contains Less Than 2% Of: Salt, Potassium Chloride, Citric Acid, Natural Flavoring, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Monopotassium Phosphate, Celery Extract, Garlic Oil
The very first ingredient, tomato puree (which means it has the most of this ingredient) is on the Dirty Dozen list from the EWG, which means unless you buy organic, you are getting a hefty dose of pesticides in your soup.
The second ingredient, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), is so destructive to your health.
Besides promoting belly fat, insulin resistance, and a long list of chronic diseases, HFCS is produced from GMO corn, destroying good gut bacteria and weakening your immune system.
HFCS goes directly to the liver, converts to fat, and can ultimately lead to heart disease.
New research shows that HFCS causes cancer cells to metastasize in a way that other sugars don’t.
All sugars can lead to health problems, but high-fructose corn syrup is worse in cancer risk.
Why is this used when it causes health problems?
It is all about the money!
HFCS is cheaper than other types of sugar, is easy to produce, and is subsidized by the government, making it an enticing crop to grow.
The third ingredient, wheat flour, is nothing but white flour that drives blood sugar quickly. They remove the bran and the germ, so it is no longer a whole food.
The rest of the ingredients are mostly chemicals that don’t belong in your body because they are undigestable.
Let’s talk about grilled cheese sandwiches!
Kraft Singles became popular after World War II when more and more food production was industrial with the idea that standardization meant high-quality.
Today, we understand why avoiding processed foods is best for our health.
You’ll notice the package doesn’t say “cheese” anywhere!
By the FDA’s standards, Kraft cannot refer to Singles as “cheese” because this word indicates that a product is made with at least 51 percent real cheese. That sheds light on why the package says, “pasteurized prepared cheese product.”
There are two significant problems with Kraft Singles:
- They are “pretend” cheese with lots of artificial ingredients.
- The milk used comes from cows given hormones to increase milk production and then antibiotics for utter infections and other adverse effects of the hormones. These hormones and antibiotics affect the gastrointestinal tract and are carcinogenic!
Cows milk is also mucous-producing and inflammatory, which further compromises the immune system. If you have access to raw goat’s milk, this is my first choice for dairy.
Another huge concern is the ever-growing financial ties between big food companies like Kraft and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).
Kraft Singles is the first food to receive the new “Kids Eat Right” label — a stamp of approval designed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to help families make healthier decisions in the grocery store.
The “Kids Eat Right” campaign is meant to “raise awareness that the diets of America’s kids lack in three important components– dairy, calcium and vitamin D, according to a statement from AND. But the news has been met with skepticism, if not outright derision.
Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor in nutrition, food studies, and public health at NYU, said, “Kraft is well known as a sponsor of AND.” “Such seals are usually money-raising gimmicks. I’m wondering if ‘proud supporter of’ means that Kraft pays AND for use of this seal. If so, I’d like to know what the seal costs.”
What’s the problem here?
Well, the label makes it seem like AND is saying that Kraft Singles are a healthy option for kids.
My point is there are man other healthier options for kids to get calcium.
Kraft Singles is a pretend cheese made never to expire! Check out all the ingredients:
- Cheddar cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes)
- Whey
- Milk Protein concentrate
- Milkfat
- Calcium phosphate
- Sodium phosphate
- Modified food starch
- Salt
- Whey protein concentrate
- Lactic acid as a preservative
- Sodium citrate
- Annatto and paprika extract (color)
- Natamycin (A natural mold inhibitor)*
- Enzymes
- Cheese culture
- Vitamin D3
*FYI, Natamycin is an antibiotic used to treat vaginal and topical yeast (fungal) infections. It is not a food and should not be in cheese. Possible side effects include severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue).
Lastly, there are some things you need to know about the bread you buy in the store. (This is a whole other topic, but I will give you the significant points you need to know).
70% of the nutrients (B vitamins, minerals, and all the fiber) are removed from flour that is not whole grain. Removing the germ and milling flour extends the shelf life of bread products, translating to more money in their pockets. Then they enrich the bread by adding back in synthetic forms of nutrients they removed.
Next, they bleach the flour to make it white. Remember, the goal is to cut production time to make more money faster. Big food companies don’t care that unbleached flour naturally whitens and softens over 12 weeks. Commercial bakeries prefer to use bleached flour, which ages in only 48 hours and produces a brighter white color and improves the texture, making it easier to use.
How is flour bleached? Typically, all-purpose flours are bleached with either benzoyl peroxide or chlorine gas.
Benzoyl peroxide in food is linked with liver problems, and chlorine gas produces a by-product called alloxan, which causes diabetes by creating a large amount of free radicals to form in the cells that produce insulin and destroys them.
The simple solution is to AVOID bleached flour products.
I think the most dangerous ingredient used in bread-making, potassium bromate, is used as a flour improver to strengthen the dough and produce a higher rise in bread.
Potassium bromate in bread and other foods has been linked to damage to the kidneys and nervous system. The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers the chemical a possible carcinogen, and it has been banned from use in food products in the EU, Canada, China, Nigeria, Brazil, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Peru, and other countries.
Azodicarbonamide is liberally used in bread in the U.S., but it is banned as a food additive in Singapore, Australia, and Europe, where it is considered to be a respiratory additive and a possible cause of asthma.
Azodicarbonamide is used both as a flour bleaching agent and as a flour strengthener, helping to make the dough more elastic.
Other ultimate bread-making short-cuts are the addition of mono- and diglycerides, and the dough conditioner DATEM added to the dough to make bread products speedily.
Calcium propionate, the most commonly used of all commercial bread preservatives, calcium prevents mold and bacteria growth. A study found that calcium propionate was linked with irritability, restlessness, inattention, and sleep disturbance in some children.
The Bottom Line:
Avoid all bread with additives like High Fructose Corn Syrup, Calcium Propionate, Potassium Bromate, Azodicarbonamide, DATEM, monoglycerides, diglycerides, and Calcium Sulfate.
Avoid anything with “enriched,” “bleached,” or “unbleached” as part of the first ingredient. “Enriched wheat” = white flour!
Be aware that some “wheat” or even “100% whole wheat” are still highly processed and refined.
Avoid GMO ingredients like soybean oil and corn oil.
Avoid artificial flavors and coloring: Caramel coloring is often added to fake “wheat” bread to make it seem browner.
Better Store-bought bread to choose from include:
Dave’s Killer Bread (Especially the sprouted varieties)
Rudi’s Sprouted Grain Bread
Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread (gluten-free options available)
My final thoughts:
As you can see, when using highly processed ingredients, this perfect pair of tomato soup and grilled cheese comes with a huge overload of toxins that drive inflammation and disease.
But wait, don’t be sad, thinking you can’t eat this beloved classic anymore.
What I love about whole foods is that you can make favorites using real food ingredients.
How do I eat this classic?
I make homemade tomato soup using organic tomatoes and just a few other ingredients.
I use raw cheese or homemade cashew cheese and sourdough bread for an amazing grilled cheese sandwich.
I sit down, relax, and enjoy half a grilled cheese sandwich (I often add spinach leaves), a cup of tomato soup, and a huge salad with lots of veggies (mostly raw and a few cooked).
That is a yummy Fall meal with lots of flavor and fuel so that I can feel my best!
Shawndi
