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Trader Joe's Sour Strawberry Candy Belts
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Acid gummy candies

Trader Joe's Sour Strawberry Candy Belts

10 oz

Bad out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Seed-oil free
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Why it scores 12

Trader Joe's Sour Strawberry Candy Belts scores 12 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. High fructose corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  3. 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 gummy and chewy candy

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

The Receipt

Sour Strawberry Candy Belts

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • High fructose corn syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3][4]
  • Dextrose
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [5]
  • 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavoring and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. [5]
subtotal−21

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 63.3 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 1.7 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some saturated fat. [6]
  • Energy 367 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−17
TOTAL 12Bad

100 − 88 = 12

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4]

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

GTIN 00007200008935 · 2026-03-10

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy367 kcal
Fat1.7 g
Saturated fat1.7 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates83.3 g
Sugars63.3 g
Added sugars56.7 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt0 g

Serving: 30g

Ingredients

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

SUGAR, GLUCOSE-FRUCTOSE SYRUP, WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, CITRIC ACID, DEXTROSE, COCONUT OIL, APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE, FRUIT AND VEGETABLE JUICE, NATURAL FLAVOR, MONOGLYCERIDES.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Wheat, Gluten

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Not gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest acid gummy candies in the US

More from Trader Joe's

Sources

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. 21 CFR 184.1866 High fructose corn syrup

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Mar 24, 2023 · Law

    “a sweet, nutritive saccharide mixture containing either approximately 42 or 55 percent fructose”

    ecfr.gov

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  6. 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

  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

  8. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  9. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  10. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome

    Nature · Mar 5, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    “carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”

    doi.org

  11. Randomized Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome

    Gastroenterology · March 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”

    doi.org

  12. Food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease in the NutriNet-Santé cohort: prospective cohort study

    BMJ · Sep 6, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”

    doi.org