Food
Betty Crocker Marca Exclusiva Super Moist Red Velvet cake mix
375 g
Score
- Dye with an EU warning label
- Contains synthetic dyes
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains palm oil
Why it scores 0
Betty Crocker Marca Exclusiva Super Moist Red Velvet cake mix 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.
Better cake, brownie and cookie mixes
-
Dark chocolate brownie mix Renewal Mill · 18 oz No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 42 out of 100 , 42 points higher -
Cornbread Mix Bob's Red Mill · 20 oz No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 46 out of 100 , 46 points higher -
Zero Sugar Brownie Mix Chocolate Fudge Pillsbury · 12.35 oz/350 g No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 50 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Betty Crocker Sugar cookie mix imp Betty Crocker · 496 No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 45 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix Baker's Corner · 183. oz No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 40 out of 100 , 40 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Super Moist Red Velvet cake mix
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Corn syrup minus 20 points
- Red 40 minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 7 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 8 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 38.6 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Saturated fat 2.3 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Salt 2.1 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Energy 341 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
100 − 102 = 0
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Can’t score above 79. High in sugars and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [13]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 341 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 3.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 2.3 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 77.3 g |
| Sugars | 38.6 g |
| Added sugars | 38.6 g |
| Fiber | 2.3 g |
| Protein | 4.6 g |
| Salt | 2.1 g |
Serving: 1 serving (42 g)
Ingredients
- Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- Sugar (high concern)
- Corn Syrup (high concern)
- Leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate) (not recognized)
- Cocoa Processed with Alkali
- Modified Corn Starch
- Palm Oil
- Corn Starch
- Propylene Glycol Mono and Diesters
- Monoglycerides
- Salt
- Dicalcium Phosphate
- Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
- Red 40 (high concern)
- Xanthan Gum
- Cellulose Gum (moderate concern)
- Artificial Flavor
Label text, as published
Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Sugar, Corn Syrup, Leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate), Cocoa Processed with Alkali. Contains 2% or less of: Modified Corn Starch, Palm Oil, Corn Starch, Propylene Glycol Mono and Diesters, Monoglycerides, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Red 40, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Artificial Flavor.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Wheat, Gluten
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Sources
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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
-
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of 16 December 2008 on food additives
“may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
eur-lex.europa.eu
-
“may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
legislation.gov.uk
-
“Artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.”
doi.org
-
Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes
“FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2—by the end of 2027.”
fda.gov
-
California AB 2316 (2024), Pupil nutrition: substances: prohibition
“beginning December 31, 2027, would prohibit a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school”
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
-
List of Select Chemicals in the Food Supply Under FDA Review
“The table below includes select food ingredients (including food and color additives), food contact substances, and contaminants under FDA review as of May 12, 2026 .”
fda.gov
-
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
-
HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply (press release)
“Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months.”
fda.gov
-
“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
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu