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Plant-based beverages

Mott's Light Apple Juice Drink

64 oz

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
  • Contains added sugars
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Why it scores 38

Mott's Light Apple Juice Drink scores 38 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Fruit juice concentrate (sweetener): An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Sugars 5 g / 100 ml: High in sugar. Strong

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

Better juices and juice drinks

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

The Receipt

Light Apple Juice Drink

START100

Ingredients

  • Fruit juice concentrate (sweetener)
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Sucralose
    Strong In a 2022 randomized study, sucralose and saccharin altered the gut microbiome and impaired glucose responses in some people; a 2023 lab study raised questions about its by-product sucralose-6-acetate. [4][5][6][7][2]
  • 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. [8][9]
subtotal−30

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [9]
  • 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and non-nutritive sweetener. [9]
subtotal−21

Nutrition per 100 ml

  • Sugars 5 g / 100 ml
    Strong High in sugar. [1]
  • Energy 21 kcal / 100 ml
    Info Energy-dense for its volume. [2]
subtotal−11
TOTAL 38Poor

100 − 62 = 38

Can’t score above 79. Contains fruit juice concentrate (sweetener), an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]

GTIN 00014800321005 · 2026-03-14

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 ml

Energy21 kcal
Fat0 g
Carbohydrates5 g
Sugars5 g
Added sugars0 g
Protein0 g
Salt0 g

Serving: 240 ml

Ingredients

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

WATER, APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE, MALIC ACID, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), SUCRALOSE, NATURAL FLAVORS

Allergens and diets

  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest plant-based beverages in the US

More from Mott'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. Personalized microbiome-driven effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on human glucose tolerance

    Cell · September 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “As groups, each administered NNS distinctly altered stool and oral microbiome and plasma metabolome, whereas saccharin and sucralose significantly impaired glycemic responses.”

    doi.org

  5. Toxicological and pharmacokinetic properties of sucralose-6-acetate and its parent sucralose: in vitro screening assays

    Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B · Aug 18, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “Sucralose-6-acetate significantly increased the expression of genes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer”

    doi.org

  6. EFSA finds sucralose safe when used as currently authorised; cannot confirm safety of extending its use

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 17, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “EFSA’s experts concluded that the sweetener sucralose (E 955) continues to be safe for consumers for its currently authorised uses as a food additive.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  7. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline

    World Health Organization · May 15, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.”

    who.int

  8. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  10. 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

  11. 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