Campbell’s Logic gets Soupy with New K-Cups

People joke about brewing ramen soup in a coffee maker. There are even plenty of us who remember doing the same thing as a poor college student, years before we really knew how bad it is to eat dried squares of soup. It’s no surprise then that we were unhappy to hear about Campbell’s new Keurig-friendly soup. Not only is it a poor choice from a nutrition standpoint, but it’s also bad news for the environment.

Campbell’s new brewed soup

Using the tagline “Fresh-Brewed Soup,” Campbell’s is touting its new product as the next big thing to hit the market. “Life is busy. Joyous. Crazy. Wonderful. But always busy,” the website says. “Snacks should be ready when we are. To fuel our day without slowing us down. We rely on our Keurig brewers for coffee, and now they make satisfying soup — with 70 calories or less. Soccer practice? Won. Meetings? Mastered.”

Here’s how it works: Place the non-recyclable, non-biodegradable cup of seasoned chicken broth mix into the Keurig where you would normally insert the coffee pod, otherwise known as a K-Cup. Hit brew and watch as your brothy concoction pours out the spout and into your mug. After two to three minutes, you’ve got a quick meal on the go.

An unhealthy option

The product’s makers ignore a few key points, however. First of all, at only 70 calories (or less) per serving, the soup probably satisfies for shorter periods of time than a creamer and sugar-laden cup of coffee from the same machine. There’s also the fact that eating on the go is one of the unhealthiest choices we can make.

Numerous studies have been published showing that slower eating is far healthier for us. A study in the January 2014 issue of the Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, for instance, showed that people eat fewer calories throughout a meal when they slow the pace of their eating. A previous study published in July 2013 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that slower eating leads to feeling fuller for longer periods of time. Given such evidence, it’s our guess that those who consume Campbell’s newest product may be eating again sooner than they expect.

Secondly, as we’ve reported before, Keurig machines are breeding grounds for mold and bacteria. The dark, warm and moist environment never really dries out. Microorganisms absolutely love such conditions, and that can spell bad news for those with compromised immune systems.

Bad for the planet

It’s not just that Campbell’s contribution to the K-Cup portfolio is a bad choice from a health standpoint. “Freshly-brewed soup” is the latest in a long string of products that are vastly unhealthy for the planet. Earlier this year, John Sylvan, the inventor of the K-Cup admitted to regretting ever having come up with his creation, and with good reason.

According to Murray Carpenter, journalist for Mother Jones and author of a new book, Caffeinated, “A row of all the K-Cups produced in 2011 would circle the globe more than six times.” An updated number reflects a terrifying figure of 8.3 billion K-Cups produced by Green Mountain in 2013 that would “wrap around the equator 10.5 times.” Giving us more ways to use a Keurig isn’t helping the growing pollution problem or our landfills.

Campbell’s currently offers two varieties of soup: Southwest-Style and Homestyle Chicken, according the People magazine. Progresso has also reportedly created a line of their own. We think that if we’re craving the nostalgia of old-fashioned Campbell’s Soup, we might as well just grab the canned variety. The soup may be full of sodium and things that we shouldn’t put into our bodies, but at least the cans can be recycled. Better still, make a batch of homemade soup using fresh, local and organic ingredients that you can keep in the fridge, or freeze, for when you need a quick, nutritious meal. We also think it’s a good idea to slow down and take a moment to enjoy our food. It’s good for our health.

Do you have some quick and easy snack ideas that don’t hurt the planet? Feel free to share them below.

—Megan Winkler

Megan Winkler is an author, historian, Neurosculpting® meditation coach, certified nutritional consultant and DIY diva. When she’s not writing or teaching a class, Megan can be found in the water, on a yoga mat, learning a new instrument or singing karaoke. Her passion for a healthy mind-body-spirit relationship motivates her to explore all the natural world has to offer.

Sources:
http://www.freshbrewedsoup.com/
http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672(13)01673-0/abstract
http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/jc.2009-1018
https://www.thealternativedaily.com/ditch-your-k-cups-heres-why/
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2014/03/coffee-k-cups-green-mountain-polystyrene-plastic
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/03/the-abominable-k-cup-coffee-pod-environment-problem/386501/
http://greatideas.people.com/2015/09/10/campbells-soup-keurig-coffee-machine/?xid=socialflow_facebook_peoplemag