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Lean Cuisine Chicken Enchilada Suiza
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Frozen foods

Lean Cuisine Chicken Enchilada Suiza

9 oz

Poor out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 37

Lean Cuisine Chicken Enchilada Suiza scores 37 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. 8 kinds of ultra-processing markers: Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, firming agent, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. Emerging

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

Better burritos and wraps

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

The Receipt

Chicken Enchilada Suiza

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose)
    Strong In a small randomized feeding trial, carboxymethylcellulose modestly increased abdominal discomfort and reduced gut microbiota diversity; in mice it promoted low-grade inflammation. [4][5][6][7]
  • Modified starch
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Soybean oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [9][10][11][12]
  • Yeast extract
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Calcium chloride
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Maltodextrin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Natural flavors
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [13][8]
  • Guar gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Mono- and diglycerides
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher intakes of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471 and E472) were associated with higher cardiovascular risk; cause and effect is not established. [6][14][8]
subtotal−36.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 8 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, firming agent, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [8]
subtotal−26

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 0.6 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some salt. [15]
subtotal−1
TOTAL 37Poor

100 − 63.5 = 36.5 → 37

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

GTIN 00013800171153 · 2026-05-01

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy118 kcal
Fat1.8 g
Saturated fat0.8 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates20.8 g
Sugars2.4 g
Added sugars0.4 g
Fiber0.8 g
Protein4.7 g
Salt0.6 g

Serving: 1 package (255 g)

Ingredients

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

COOKED RICE AND VEGETABLES: COOKED ENRICHED LONG GRAIN RICE (WATER, RICE, IRON, NIACIN, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, FOLIC ACID), WATER, CORN, BELL PEPPERS, GREEN CHILES (GREEN CHILES, CITRIC ACID), ONIONS, GARLIC, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SALT, SPICES, CILANTRO, SOYBEAN OIL, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, CHICKEN FAT, GARLIC PUREE, SUGAR, LIME JUICE CONCENTRATE, DRIED ONIONS. SAUCE: SKIM MILK, WATER, ONIONS, BUTTERMILK POWDER, CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO COLOR), APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, SOUR CREAM (CULTURED CREAM, NONFAT MILK), BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, CILANTRO, GARLIC, GREEN CHILES (GREEN CHILES, CITRIC ACID), SALT, JALAPENO PUREE (JALAPENO PEPPERS, SALT, ACETIC ACID, WATER, CALCIUM CHLORIDE), GARLIC PUREE, SUGAR, LIME JUICE CONCENTRATE, CHICKEN FAT, MALTODEXTRIN, WHEAT STARCH, MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES, SPICES, NATURAL FLAVORS, EXTRACTS OF ANNATTO & TURMERIC COLOR. CHICKEN ENCHILADA: FILLING (WHITE CHICKEN MEAT, ONIONS, TOMATOES, WATER, GREEN CHILES [GREEN CHILES, WATER, SALT, CITRIC ACID], CORNSTARCH, GARLIC POWDER, JALAPENO PEPPER, SALT, CUMIN, CILANTRO, PAPRIKA, BLACK PEPPER), CORN TORTILLA (WATER, YELLOW CORN MASA FLOUR, GUAR GUM, CELLULOSE GUM, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, CORNSTARCH, CITRIC ACID).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian
  • Not gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest frozen foods in the US

More from Lean Cuisine

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. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Jan 16, 2018 · Agency assessment

    “The Panel concluded that there was no need for a numerical ADI and that there would be no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels for the unmodified and modified celluloses”

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  10. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

    BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org

  12. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  13. 21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

    ecfr.gov

  14. Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Nov 10, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”

    doi.org

  15. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “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

  16. 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

  17. 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