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Betty Crocker Angel Food Cake Mix
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Cakes

Betty Crocker Angel Food Cake Mix

16 oz

Poor out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • High in salt
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains artificial flavors
  • Contains sulfate surfactants
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Why it scores 20

Betty Crocker Angel Food Cake Mix scores 20 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. Sugars 60.5 g / 100 g: Very high in sugar. Strong

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

Better cake, brownie and cookie mixes

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

The Receipt

Angel Food Cake Mix

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]
  • Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
    Strong An effective surfactant that is safe in rinse-off use but can irritate skin and eyes, especially at higher concentrations or with long contact. [8]
  • Calcium phosphate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus) and noted that infants, toddlers and children may exceed it. [9]
  • Artificial flavors
    Strong US dietary guidelines advise limiting foods with artificial flavors. [2][10]
subtotal−38

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [11]
  • 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: flavoring and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [11]
subtotal−19.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 60.5 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Salt 2.1 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [12]
  • Energy 368 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−23
TOTAL 20Poor

100 − 80.5 = 19.5 → 20

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

Can’t score above 79. High in sugars and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [13]

GTIN 00016000440302 · 2026-08-07

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy368 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates84.2 g
Sugars60.5 g
Added sugars60.5 g
Fiber0 g
Protein7.9 g
Salt2.1 g

Serving: 0.083 package (38 g)

Ingredients

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

Sugar, Wheat Flour Bleached, Egg White, Corn Starch, Baking Soda, Citric Acid, Calcium Phosphate, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Artificial Flavor, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (a whipping aid).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Wheat, Gluten, Egg

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

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest cakes in the US

More from Betty Crocker

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. Human and Environmental Toxicity of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): Evidence for Safe Use in Household Cleaning Products

    Environmental Health Insights · Jan 1, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. EFSA issues new advice on phosphates

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 12, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  10. 21 CFR 172.515 Synthetic flavoring substances and adjuvants

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Oct 9, 2017 · Law

    ecfr.gov

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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