Time for an immune boost? We took a look at how healthy Maggi’s packet soup really is.
The inscriptions on the packet soups sound promising. The lettering “immune soup” immediately catches the eye. The pack also advertises vitamin B12, which is said to support the immune system, and “natural ingredients”. Maggi offers three varieties:
- “Chicken Noodle Soup with Carrots, Turmeric and Ginger”
- “Vegetable Cream Soup with Pumpkin, Carrots and Turmeric”
- “Cauliflower broccoli with turmeric, spinach and broccoli florets”
The vegetables and spices suggest that these are natural and healthy soups. For this, Maggi has now been warned by the Federal Consumer Association. This is an illegal health claim. Maggi will take an immune soup from the market. Existing stocks will only be delivered until the end of March 2022 and then sold off.
What’s in Maggi’s “Immune Soups?”
What is actually in a bag of soup? As expected, not too many vegetables. Maggi thinks the almost nine percent is apparently enough to advertise with. In order for a powder infused with water to taste good, it needs salt, sugar, milk protein and flavorings. Starch and wheat flour are the main ingredients of the soup. These, too, are not known for their variety of vitamins and minerals. What can then be the immune booster in the soup? A bit of added vitamin B6 and B12? Oh well.
Strong immune system thanks to vitamin B12?
Nevertheless, we have to take a closer look at vitamin B12. Because Maggi is only allowed to print the explanatory statement of the immune soup “contributes to the normal function of the immune system” on the packaging if the soup also contains sufficient usable vitamin B12. In the case of Maggi’s “immune soups”, this sentence is written in small letters on the front at the bottom of the pack. The bold print “supports the immune system”, on the other hand, is the first thing that catches the eye and sounds much stronger than the legally permitted wording. The whole thing is only topped by the eponymous immune soup.
In any case, most people in Germany are sufficiently supplied with vitamin B12 through their diet. Since the vitamin is only found in relevant amounts in animal products, there is a risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, especially among vegans. However, they cannot do anything with Maggi’s “immune soups” because they are not vegan. In any case, we do not advise thinking that your own immune system is too dependent on immune soups from the bag.
Further arguments against Maggi’s “immune soups”
Apart from the health aspects, there are other reasons why Maggi’s “immune soups” are not recommended:
- The small bags cause a lot of packaging waste.
- The current price of the “immune soup” at Rewe, for example, is 1.19 euros. In the case of the “immune soups”, you get two plates of 60 to 70 calories each. You can cook much more nutritious dishes from cheap and healthy winter vegetables such as pumpkin or carrots for a similar price.
- The soups are not certified organic. This is particularly critical for animal products, since conventional animal husbandry only sets low animal welfare standards. Here you can find out more about why organic labels are important for animal products: Organic seal in comparison: What do the animals from organic animal husbandry get? Even with plant-based products, those with an organic seal are preferable – among other things, because in the organic farming no chemical-synthetic pesticides are allowed.
- Maggi is owned by Nestlé. The large corporation is repeatedly criticized for various reasons.
A few articles on Nestlé’s practices:
- Video tip: 5 lousy stitches from Nestlé
- Nestlé is illegally pumping water in California – despite the drought
- Internal document: Nestlé classifies more than half of its products as unhealthy
- Nestlé is in trouble again because of baby milk
Healthy and tasty alternatives to Maggi’s “immune soups”
So there are plenty of reasons to leave Maggi’s “immune soups” on the supermarket shelves and cook them yourself instead. Even in winter there are a few fresh vegetables and various tubers and roots from storage. Many delicious dishes can be prepared from it, for example:
- Winter Recipes: Seasonal dishes to keep you warm
- 3 healthy winter smoothies that will warm you up
- Seasonal spreads: 3 recipes with regional winter vegetables
- Winter salad: recipes with seasonal ingredients
- Pea Stew: Easy recipe for fall and winter
- Kale Salad: A vitamin-packed salad for the winter
- Pumpkin recipes: 4 delicious ideas for autumn
- Beetroot soup: basic recipe and delicious variations
- Prepare kale: This is how it tastes guaranteed
Check out another article for more useful tips: More than cabbage and turnips: eat properly regionally in winter
Read more on Techzle.com:
- Nestlé brands: These products belong to the company
- Preventing a cold: How to stay healthy
- Convenience Food: These are better alternatives