Food
Trader Joe's S'Mores Clusters
7 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
- Contains whole grains
Why it scores 0
Trader Joe's S'Mores Clusters scores 0 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 Corn syrup: 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.
The Receipt
S'Mores Clusters
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Corn syrup minus 20 points
- Brown sugar minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 6 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 52.8 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Saturated fat 12.5 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Salt 0.3 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Energy 500 kcal / 100 g minus 3 points
100 − 101 = 0
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [7]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 500 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 22.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 12.5 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 66.7 g |
| Sugars | 52.8 g |
| Added sugars | 47.2 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 5.6 g |
| Salt | 0.3 g |
Serving: 3 Pieces (36 g)
Ingredients
- Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Milk, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin [Emulsifier], Natural Vanilla Flavor) (moderate concern)
- Mini Marshmallows (Tapioca Syrup, Cane Sugar, Water, Tapioca Starch, Carrageenan, Soy Protein Concentrate, Natural Vanilla Flavor) (not recognized)
- Graham Cracker (Graham Flour, Brown Sugar, Palm Oil, Canola Oil, Cane Sugar, Unbleached Enriched Flour, Invert Sugar Syrup, Honey, Sea Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate, Natural Flavor, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin [Emulsifier])
Label text, as published
Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Milk, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin [Emulsifier], Natural Vanilla Flavor), Mini Marshmallows (Tapioca Syrup, Cane Sugar, Water, Tapioca Starch, Carrageenan, Soy Protein Concentrate, Natural Vanilla Flavor), Graham Cracker (Graham Flour, Brown Sugar, Palm Oil, Canola Oil, Cane Sugar, Unbleached Enriched Flour [Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Invert Sugar Syrup, Honey, Sea Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate, Natural Flavor, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin [Emulsifier])
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Sources
-
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
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
“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
-
Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome
“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
-
“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
-
“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
-
“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
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu