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Trader Joe's Plantain Chips
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Chips

Trader Joe's Plantain Chips

Good out of 100 Medium confidence
  • High in sugar
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains palm oil
  • No additives
  • Seed-oil free
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Why it scores 66

Trader Joe's Plantain Chips scores 66 out of 100 (Good) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugars 32.1 g / 100 g: Very high in sugar. Strong
  2. Processed (NOVA 3): Classified NOVA 3: processed with added salt, sugar or oil. Emerging
  3. Saturated fat 8.9 g / 100 g: Very high in saturated fat. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

Better vegetable chips and straws

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Plantain Chips

START100

Ingredients

  • Palm oil
    Strong About half saturated fat; WHO recommends keeping saturated fat to 10% of energy or less. [1][2][3]
subtotal−2.5

Processing

  • Processed (NOVA 3)
    Emerging Classified NOVA 3: processed with added salt, sugar or oil. [4]
subtotal−8

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 32.1 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [5]
  • Saturated fat 8.9 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in saturated fat. [1]
  • Energy 500 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [6]
subtotal−24
TOTAL 66Good

100 − 34.5 = 65.5 → 66

Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [7]

GTIN 00005508000057 · 2026-08-28

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy500 kcal
Fat21.4 g
Saturated fat8.9 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates71.4 g
Sugars32.1 g
Added sugars0 g
Fiber0 g
Protein3.6 g
Salt0 g

Serving: 12 chips (28 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

plantains, palm olein.

Allergens and diets

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free
  • Not palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest crisps in the US

More from Trader Joe's

Sources

  1. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline

    World Health Organization · Jul 17, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”

    who.int

  2. Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods

    European Food Safety Authority · May 3, 2016 · Agency assessment

    “The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  3. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food

    European Union (Official Journal) · Apr 25, 2023 · Law

    “Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  4. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  5. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  6. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  7. Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

    Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

    “Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

    assets.publishing.service.gov.uk