Sour cream substitutes
Tofutti Dairy-Free Sour Cream
12 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
Why it scores 37
Tofutti Dairy-Free Sour Cream scores 37 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
- minus 7.5 points Carrageenan: In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher carrageenan intake was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes; cause and effect is not established. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better cream and sour cream
-
Green valley creamery organic lactose free sour cream Green Valley Organics Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 42 points higher -
Sour Cream Lactose Free Lactaid · 16 oz/453 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 42 points higher -
Dairy free sour cream Wayfare · 12 oz/340 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 42 points higher -
Sour cream Stop & Shop · 8 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 42 points higher -
Crème Fraîche Vermont Creamery Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 42 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Dairy-Free Sour Cream
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Carrageenan minus 7.5 points
- Vegetable oil (unspecified) minus 2.5 points
- Soybean oil minus 1.5 points
- Palm oil minus 1.5 points
- Maltodextrin minus 1.5 points
- Soy protein isolate / concentrate minus 0.5 points
- Vegetable gums (unspecified) minus 0.5 points
- Locust bean gum minus 0.5 points
- Guar gum minus 0.5 points
- Powdered cellulose minus 0.5 points
- Mono- and diglycerides minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 6 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 2 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Salt 0.4 g / 100 g minus 1 points
100 − 63.5 = 36.5 → 37
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 85 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 5 g |
| Saturated fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g |
| Sugars | 2 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Salt | 0.4 g |
Serving: 2 tbsp (30 g)
Ingredients
- Water
- Expeller Processed Natural Oil Blend (Soybean, Palm Fruit and Olive)
- Maltodextrin
- Soy Protein
- Tofu
- Non Dairy Lactic Acid
- Organic Sugar (high concern)
- Blend of Natural Gums (Locust Bean, Guar, Cellulose, Xantham and Carrageenan)
- Veg (not recognized)
- Mono and Diglycerides
- Salt
Label text, as published
Water, Expeller Processed Natural Oil Blend ( Soybean, Palm Fruit and Olive), Maltodextrin, Soy Protein, Tofu, Non Dairy Lactic Acid, Organic Sugar, Blend of Natural Gums ( Locust Bean, Guar, Cellulose, Xantham and Carrageenan), Veg, Mono and Diglycerides, Salt.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Soy
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Packaging
Pp 5 polypropylene
Context only: no points in v1.
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
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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
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Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“We found direct associations between the risk of type 2 diabetes and exposures to various food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods, in a large prospective cohort of French adults.”
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
-
Re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives
“However, the Panel noted uncertainties as regards the chemistry, the exposure assessment and biological and toxicological data.”
doi.org
-
Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)
monographs.iarc.who.int
-
“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
-
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
-
Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods
“The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu
-
“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
-
Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives
“The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”
doi.org
-
“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
-
“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
-
“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