Fruits cereal bars
Trader Joe's "This Blueberry Walks Into a Bar..."
7.8 oz (222 g)
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- Certified organic
- No synthetic dyes
- Contains whole grains
Why it scores 7
Trader Joe's "This Blueberry Walks Into a Bar..." scores 7 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Fruit juice concentrate (sweetener): An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better granola and snack bars
-
Date and Nut Bars Blueberry Muffin Good & Gather · 8 oz/225 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 72 points higher -
Smart Bars Sweet Potato Blueberry Banana Cerebelly · 4.2 oz/120 g No added sugars · No seed oils Score 71 out of 100 , 64 points higher -
Fruit and grain bites blueberry Olyra · 5.3 g Less sugar · No seed oils Score 46 out of 100 , 39 points higher -
Blueberry Muffin Larabar · 1.6 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 77 out of 100 , 70 points higher -
Blueberry Muffin Bars Larabar · 8 bars 12.8 oz(362 g) Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 72 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
"This Blueberry Walks Into a Bar..."
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Fruit juice concentrate (sweetener) minus 20 points
- Invert sugar minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 7 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 8 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 48.6 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Salt 0.5 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Energy 351 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
100 − 93 = 7
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [6]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 351 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 6.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 73 g |
| Sugars | 48.6 g |
| Added sugars | 26.4 g |
| Fiber | 2.7 g |
| Protein | 5.4 g |
| Salt | 0.5 g |
Serving: 1 bar (37 g)
Ingredients
- BLUEBERRY FILLING (ORGANIC CANE SUGAR, BLUEBERRIES, FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATES, APPLE POWDER, TAPIOCA STARCH, GLYCERIN, NATURAL FLAVOR, PECTIN, CITRIC ACID, LOCUST BEAN GUM, RED CABBAGE EXTRACT [COLOR])
- ORGANIC WHEAT FLOUR
- ORGANIC INVERT CANE SYRUP (high concern)
- ORGANIC EXPELLER PRESSED CANOLA OIL
- ORGANIC CANE SUGAR (high concern)
- ORGANIC WHEAT BRAN
- ORGANIC OAT FLOUR
- ORGANIC OATS
- ORGANIC WHEAT GLUTEN
- ORGANIC HONEY (high concern)
- ORGANIC NON-FAT DRY MILK
- BAKING SODA
- CREAM OF TARTAR
- SEA SALT
- NATURAL FLAVORS
- VITAMIN B BLEND (NIACINAMIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE, FOLIC ACID, CYANOCOBALAMIN)
- ORGANIC SOY LECITHIN
Label text, as published
BLUEBERRY FILLING (ORGANIC CANE SUGAR, BLUEBERRIES, FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATES [PINEAPPLE, PEACH, APPLE, PEAR), APPLE POWDER, TAPIOCA STARCH, GLYCERIN, NATURAL FLAVOR, PECTIN, CITRIC ACID, LOCUST BEAN GUM, RED CABBAGE EXTRACT [COLOR]), ORGANIC WHEAT FLOUR, ORGANIC INVERT CANE SYRUP, ORGANIC EXPELLER PRESSED CANOLA OIL, ORGANIC CANE SUGAR, ORGANIC WHEAT BRAN, ORGANIC OAT FLOUR, ORGANIC OATS, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF ORGANIC WHEAT GLUTEN, ORGANIC HONEY, ORGANIC NON-FAT DRY MILK, BAKING SODA, CREAM OF TARTAR, SEA SALT, NATURAL FLAVORS, VITAMIN B BLEND (NIACINAMIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE, FOLIC ACID, CYANOCOBALAMIN), ORGANIC SOY LECITHIN. CONTAINS MILK, SOY, WHEAT.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More fruits cereal bars on GoodSwap
-
KIND Breakfast Blueberry Almond Kind · 10.58 oz (300 g) Ultra-processedContains added sugarsContains seed oilsContains whole grains Score 22 out of 100 Poor -
Soft Baked Breakfast Bars Nutri-Grain · 37 g Ultra-processedHigh in sugarContains added sugarsContains emulsifiers studied for gut effects Score 6 out of 100 Bad -
Made Good Granola Bar Mixed Berry Made Good · 24 g Ultra-processedHigh in sugarContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 20 out of 100 Poor -
MINIS Blueberry RXBAR · 26 g Ultra-processedHigh in sugarNo additives Score 65 out of 100 Good -
Kellog's Nutrigrain Mixed Berry Kellogg's · 10.4 oz (296 g) Ultra-processedHigh in sugarContains added sugarsContains emulsifiers studied for gut effects Score 6 out of 100 Bad -
Mott's Soft Baked Bars Berry Mott's · 6 × 0.96 oz (27 g) bars - Net weight 5.76 oz (163 g) Ultra-processedContains added sugarsContains palm oilSeed-oil free Score 7 out of 100 Bad
More from Trader Joe's
-
Cracked Wheat Sourdough Bread Trader Joe's · 24 oz Score 86 out of 100 Excellent -
Vanilla Almond Granola Trader Joe's · 16 oz Score 22 out of 100 Poor -
Roasted & Salted Truffle Marcona Almonds Trader Joe's · 6 oz Score 84 out of 100 Excellent -
Gochujang Paste Trader Joe's · 7.05 oz Score 46 out of 100 Okay
Sources
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Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
-
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”
who.int
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
-
“Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”
doi.org
-
“replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”
doi.org
-
“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”
doi.org