Just how healthy is your favourite tinned soup? One brand contains as much sugar as a jam doughnut, while another is made with just two per cent chicken, finds SARAH RAINEY

Whether you prefer cream of tomato or minestrone, Scotch broth or chicken noodle, ’tis the season to eat soup – the ultimate winter comfort food.

As one of the world’s biggest soup-consuming countries, we can’t get enough of the stuff, especially the cheap tins that keep in the cupboard for months.

The UK market for tinned soup is worth more than £463 million, with the average person consuming around 2.5kg of it a year.

Indeed, in a recent survey, a quarter of UK families said they ‘can’t live without’ tinned soup.

I’m among them: whether it’s tomato soup as an easy dinner for my sons; chunky veg for a quick lunch at my desk; or something posher as a starter on a chilly evening, we eat soup at least once a week – and those supermarket staples are always on my shopping list.

But there was unsettling news for soup fans last week, as Campbell’s – one of Britain’s most-trusted brands – found itself mired in controversy after some surprising remarks apparently made by one of the company’s vice-presidents.

An audio recording allegedly captured Martin Bally, vice-president and chief information security officer at the Campbell Soup Company in America, describing its products as ‘s***’. 

‘It’s not healthy now that I know what the f***’s in it,’ the recording went on.

The speaker – who is no longer with the company – also referenced ‘bio-engineered meat’, saying: ‘I don’t want to eat a piece of chicken that came from a 3D printer’.

While a spokesman for Campbell’s refuted the comments, describing them as ‘not only inaccurate… but patently absurd’, the story had already made international news – and left millions of soup-lovers frantically scouring ingredients lists on the back of tins.

The spokesman added that the chicken in its soups was not bio-engineered, instead coming from ‘long-trusted… suppliers’, but the company disclosed that it grows several crops – including corn, sugar beet and soy beans – from genetically modified seeds.

So what exactly does go into your favourite tin of soup?

‘The front of the tin often paints a much healthier picture than what’s inside,’ says leading nutritionist GQ Jordan.

‘Most soups are far higher in salt than people realise. A lot also rely on added sugar, cream or starch to boost flavour, and are lower in protein and fibre than people would expect.’

From freeze-dried meat and powdered dairy to stabilisers, colouring and additives, we reveal the little-known ingredients and nutritional values of Britain’s most popular supermarket soups – and expose what’s really inside those tins.

Just how healthy is your favourite tin of soup? 

Heinz Cream of Tomato (£1.70)

A timeless favourite, this creamy tomato soup has been around since 1910, when it was launched in the UK at Fortnum & Mason.

The soup is 89% tomatoes and Heinz, the UK’s leading soup manufacturer, claims half a can makes up one of your five-a-day – but that’s not the whole story.

‘It’s very sweet for something marketed as a savoury lunch,’ says nutritionist GQ Jordan.

‘You’re looking at roughly 1.5 teaspoons of added sugar per serving [the same as a chocolate Hobnob].’

The salt content is also high, at 1.1g per serving, and the rest of the ingredients list comprises water, modified cornflour, rapeseed oil, dried skimmed milk, cream, citric acid, spices and herb extract.

Half a tin contains 102 calories and 4.3g fat.

‘There’s very little fibre or protein, so while it hits the nostalgia button, it doesn’t deliver much nutritionally,’ adds GQ.

HEALTH FACTOR: 1/5

Sainsbury’s Pea and Ham Soup (63p)

You’ll find far more peas (35.5 per cent) than ham (just 3.5 per cent) in this budget soup.

‘Peas bump up the fibre and plant protein,’ says GQ. ‘The ham adds flavour but also pushes the salt up.’

Saying that, salt per serving is just 0.7g, and the sugar is low (3.3g). One portion contains 97 calories. It also contains potato, modified maize starch, salt, onion powder, black pepper and an unidentified flavouring.

‘From a nutritional point of view, it holds its own,’ adds GQ.

HEALTH FACTOR: 4/5

Tesco Broccoli and Stilton Soup (63p)   

There’s something off-putting about blue cheese in a tin, and this soup doesn’t do much to redeem itself.

The combined amount of broccoli and stilton is just 16 per cent, with the remainder of the ingredients comprising yoghurt, double cream, butter and flavourings.

‘It’s creamy, salty [0.89g per half tin] and high in saturated fat [2g] thanks to the cheese base,’ says GQ. 

‘The fibre is low [0.5g] and the veg content modest. It’s really tasty, but definitely veers into ‘treat soup’ territory rather than something supportive.’

Each half can contains 100 calories and 5g fat.

HEALTH FACTOR: 0/5

M&S Chunky Vegetable Soup (£1.10)

Vegetables – including carrots, onions, peas and potatoes – make up 45 per cent of the contents, and come in decent-sized chunks that retain their texture.

Half a tin contains 2.2g fibre, 1.8g protein , 4.2g sugar (around 1 tsp) and 66 calories.

‘It’s low in fat [0.8g per serving] without being watery,’ says GQ. ‘The salt isn’t low [1g] but it’s more controlled than many branded tins. As convenient soups go, this one comes closest to what people imagine they’re buying.’

HEALTH FACTOR: 5/5

Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (£1.50)

Even when you add the required tin of water, this Campbell’s favourite is very high in salt (1.27g per serving) and contains little protein (just 3.4g) for a chicken soup.

With just 4 per cent chicken, it mostly comprises water, oil, modified maize starch and wheat flour, milk proteins, salt, yeast, starch and spices. 

‘The texture and flavour come mostly from cream and thickening agents rather than chicken itself,’ says GQ. 

‘It works better as an ingredient in casseroles than as a balanced lunch.’

One positive is that it’s very low in sugar (just 1.6g) and contains 142 calories per serving.

HEALTH FACTOR: 2/5

Heinz Chicken Noodle Soup (£1.70)

One of Heinz’s bestsellers – but GQ says it mostly contains broth and noodles. ‘Very little chicken translates to very little protein [2.7g per portion],’ she adds.

Indeed, the soup is just 2 per cent chicken (and 10 per cent noodles), with other ingredients including sweetcorn, onion and red peppers. The salt content is high – 1.2g per portion – as is the sugar (2.3g).

However there are just 64 calories per portion and the saturated fat content is low, at 0.1g. ‘It’s easy to digest and easy to enjoy, but doesn’t keep you full for long,’ says GQ.

HEALTH FACTOR: 2/5

Waitrose Lentil and Vegetable Soup (£1.20) 

Made from cooked red and green lentils, and an array of vegetables (carrots, onions, swede, potato, sweetcorn and peas), this soup is 81 per cent what it says on the tin.

The rest of the ingredients aren’t bad, either: maize starch, water, salt, yeast extract, tomato paste, parsley, garlic and pepper.

A serving is 101 calories and while the salt content is quite high (1.93g per can), both sugar (5.6g) and fat (1.6g) are low.

‘Lentils give you protein, fibre and steady energy, and the salt level is manageable,’ says GQ. ‘It’s closer to a homemade-style stew, which is what most people are hoping for.’

HEALTH FACTOR: 5/5

Morrisons Roasted Red Pepper Soup (65p)

This contains almost exactly what it says on the tin: red peppers, tomato puree and seasonings.

There’s also a dash of double cream, as well as sugar, salt and milk – so it may not be as healthy as it appears.

There’s a whopping 10.3g sugar per half can – the same as two scoops of vanilla ice cream – as well as 5.7g fat and 0.83g salt.

‘It’s very low in protein and fibre [both 2g] so it won’t keep you full,’ says GQ. ‘A pleasant starter or side, but not a complete meal.’

HEALTH FACTOR: 3/5

Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (£1.60)

Similar to the brand’s chicken soup, this is a condensed mixture designed to be mixed with a tin of water before you tuck in.

Just 10 per cent of the contents is mushroom; the rest is rapeseed oil, maize starch, wheat flour, milk proteins, salt, double cream, yeast, sugar and flavourings.

Each serving contains 90 calories and 1g sugar.

‘It’s high in salt [1.5g per serving], higher in saturated fat than most soups [0.9g per serving], and low in actual mushroom once diluted, says GQ.

‘It’s rich and tasty, but the nutritional value is thin.’

HEALTH FACTOR: 2/5

Asda Oxtail Soup (64p)

A rich, meaty soup containing beef, tomatoes, carrots and red wine, this looks like a filling lunch option.

But look closer at the ingredients and beef – the main source of protein – makes up just 4 per cent of the contents. The main component is water, while sugar, flavourings, yeast extract, modified maize starch, onion powder and beef fat also feature.

GQ says it’s naturally higher in saturated fat (0.8g per serving) and salt (1g per serving) than plant-based soups.

Each half can contains 90 calories and 2.2g sugar.

‘This is more of a hearty, occasional option rather than something you’d rely on for regular lunches,’ she adds.

HEALTH FACTOR: 3/5

Baxters Scotch Broth (£2)

Described as ‘mutton and beef broth with pearl barley’, this Scottish classic comes from an ancient recipe going back centuries.

But the main ingredient in Baxters’ version is water, with just 6 per cent pearl barley, 2 per cent mutton and 1.5 per cent beef per tin.

There are, however, plenty of vegetables in there – carrot, potato, onions, swede, leeks and cabbage – as well as natural seasonings and only a touch of sugar (1.6g per serving). A single serving comes in at 76 calories.

‘The barley gives it body, fibre [2.15g per serving] and slow-releasing carbs, and you get a small but meaningful amount of protein from the meat,’ says GQ.

It’s still relatively salty – 0.96g per half tin – but will fill you up with good stuff, too.

HEALTH FACTOR: 4/5

Baxters French Onion Soup (£2)

This soup sounds anything but healthy, going by the description of onions caramelised in butter and flavoured with sherry.

The main ingredient is water – others include cornflour, sugar and 4 per cent caramelised onion.

‘Onions turn sweet when slow-cooked, so the sugar content is naturally higher, but the bigger issue here is salt,’ says GQ. Each tin contains 2.15g salt and 74 calories. There’s very little protein (2.4g) or fibre (2g) and a whopping 14g sugar per can – equivalent to 3.5 teaspoons, the same as you’ll find in a jam doughnut.

‘You’re left with a tasty, salty broth rather than anything substantial,’ says GQ.

HEALTH FACTOR: 0/5

Sainsbury’s Leek and Potato Soup (63p)

This lunchtime favourite is often seen as a healthy, filling option – but you might want to think again.

‘It’s essentially a starchy, blended soup with minimal protein or fibre,’ GQ says. Once again, the main ingredient is water, followed by potato (23 per cent) and leeks (12 per cent), but the remainder of the ingredients are anything but healthy: double cream, milk powder, wheat flour, salt, emulsifier and sugar. Each half tin contains 3.6g sugar and 1.2g salt, 3.2g fat, as well as 92 calories.

‘Nutritionally it’s one of the lighter tins,’ says GQ.

HEALTH FACTOR: 1/5