It’s a British winter warming staple, found in cupboards across the country.
But one of the UK’s leading diet experts has issued a clear warning about much-loved tinned and packet tomato soups, due to their potential health risks.
According to Professor Tim Spector, founder of popular nutrition app ZOE, they lack vital nutrients.
And unlike some of their newer counterparts, they are often packed with “additional extracts and chemicals.”
in a Instagram video Posted on the academic’s profile from Kings College London, he pointed to tomatoes as an essential dietary element and explained that they are full of polyphenols.
These compounds found in plants have antioxidant properties and can help control blood pressure.
However, when formulated into a canned soup, these benefits can be lost among the host of other ultra-processed ingredients needed to extend shelf life.
In the video, which has racked up more than 6,000 likes, he said: “In the UK, we eat more ultra-processed foods (UPF) than any other country in Europe.
According to Professor Tim Spector, founder of popular nutrition app ZOE, canned soups lack vital nutrients.
Unlike some of their refrigerated counterparts, they are full of “additional extracts and chemicals.”
‘So, to get to those levels, we need to know exactly what we are eating and a great example is tomatoes.
‘They contain many polyphenols, particularly one you may have heard of called lycopene.
‘Having (fresh tomatoes) alone would be classified as unprocessed…’
Processed foods, he explains, are items that have been modified to make them taste better or last longer.
Canned vegetables, canned fish, fresh bread and cheese are all examples.
Pointing to the cans and jars of plums and chopped tomatoes, Professor Spector said: “You might be a little worried because they may come in tins or tins.”
‘But there’s nothing to worry about, practically all of them are really good for your health.
“Sometimes they can contain more nutrients than in their raw state.”
Canned Heinz Tomato Cream contains 89 percent tomatoes, as well as modified corn flour, skimmed milk powder, milk proteins and citric acid, which means it counts as UPF.
Tomatoes make up 36 percent of a sachet’s contents, however next on the list is sugar, followed by modified potato starch, glucose syrup, whey powder and red beet powder.
However, pointing to the prized cans and boxes of Heinz tomato cream, he added: “They contain additional chemicals and food extracts that you wouldn’t find in your kitchen cupboard.”
Their warning — that ready-made canned or packaged tomato soup is UPF — comes amid growing concern about these foods.
UPFs, which also include bread, cereals, and even salad dressings, are made with artificial ingredients used to preserve, add flavor, and improve texture.
They have gone through multiple levels of processing and are usually full of added fats, colors, and sugars.
Some have even gone so far as to say that they could be as dangerous, in terms of causing cancer, as tobacco, and that they should come with a health warning similar to that on cigarettes.
A recent study found that every 10 percent increase in the proportion of UPF in the diet was associated with a four percent increased risk of colorectal cancer.
While Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup claims to contain “no artificial colors or preservatives,” a quick glance at the ingredients list reveals numerous unusual-looking ingredients.
Tomatoes make up 36 percent of a sachet’s contents, however, next on the list is sugar, followed by m.odified potato starch, glucose syrup, wHey powder and red beet powder.
Foods can be divided into four broad categories: fresh foods, simple ingredients used in cooking, processed foods that combine the last two groups, and ultra-processed foods, which are made with numerous additives and preservatives.
Food experts say some UPF can be “part of a healthy diet.” Baked beans, fish fingers and whole wheat bread are sufficient, according to the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF).
Under “colors” are carotenes, riboflavin and modified corn flour.
There is also citric acid, palm oil and palm fat. It also lists something called ‘mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids’ and potassium phosphate, which is apparently a ‘stabilizer.’
The canned version has a smaller ingredient list, at 89 percent tomatoes.
However, it also contains modified corn flour, skimmed milk powder, milk proteins, citric acid, which means it still counts as UPF.
Professor Spector concludes: “We hope this gives you a better idea of what to choose and what to avoid, to help you and your gut microbes.”
A serving of fruit or vegetables for an adult weighs 80g – about one medium tomato or seven cherry tomatoes, according to the NHS.
Despite concerns about UPFs, many dietitians argue that fans mistakenly label nutritious options like fish fingers and baked beans as unhealthy.
The UK consumes more UPF than any other European country, with these foods estimated to make up 57 per cent of the national diet.
They are believed to be a key driver of obesity, which costs the NHS around £6.5 billion a year.
