Home › Ingredients › FRENCH ONION SOUP
SIGNATURE SELECT · 0/100 · Not approved
2 not-approved ingredients detected
| Ingredient | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Brown Sugar | Caution | Refined sugar with molasses added back. |
| Sugar (Refined) | Caution | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| Corn Oil | Not approved | Industrial seed oil; refined via heat and solvents from a low-oil source crop. |
| Caramel Color (generic) | Caution | Without a Class number, manufacturer-disclosed type is unknown; Class III/IV variants (most common in colas) contain 4-MeI, a California Prop 65 carcinogen. |
| Natural Flavor | Caution | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Sunflower Oil | Not approved | Refined seed oil; high-oleic variants slightly more stable but still industrially processed. |
| Enriched Wheat Flour | Caution | Refined flour stripped of bran/germ and fortified with synthetic vitamins to replace lost nutrients. |
| Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) | Caution | Emulsifier shown in 2022 NIH study to alter gut microbiota in humans. |
| Maltodextrin | Caution | Highly processed starch derivative with a glycemic index higher than table sugar. |
100 − 50×2 − 10×7 − 5×0 = 0
| Reason | Points | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Corn Oil | -50 | Industrial seed oil; refined via heat and solvents from a low-oil source crop. |
| Sunflower Oil | -50 | Refined seed oil; high-oleic variants slightly more stable but still industrially processed. |
| Brown Sugar | -10 | Refined sugar with molasses added back. |
| Sugar (Refined) | -10 | Refined sucrose, typically from sugarcane or sugar beet; minimally processed but a refined sweetener. |
| Caramel Color (generic) | -10 | Without a Class number, manufacturer-disclosed type is unknown; Class III/IV variants (most common in colas) contain 4-MeI, a California Prop 65 carcinogen. |
| Natural Flavor | -10 | Regulatory category that allows solvent extraction and undisclosed processing aids. Lack of transparency. |
| Enriched Wheat Flour | -10 | Refined flour stripped of bran/germ and fortified with synthetic vitamins to replace lost nutrients. |
| Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) | -10 | Emulsifier shown in 2022 NIH study to alter gut microbiota in humans. |
| Maltodextrin | -10 | Highly processed starch derivative with a glycemic index higher than table sugar. |
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Scores come from our ingredient rules — never from commissions.
SmartChoice checks every ingredient on a product against these same rules — point your camera at the barcode and get a verdict in seconds.
Get SmartChoice — free on iPhoneEducational information, not medical or dietary advice. Scores reflect what the label states, checked against our published rules. Labels change — always read the product’s own packaging.