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Lewis 12 Grain Bread
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Breads

Lewis 12 Grain Bread

12 oz/340 g

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
  • May contain traces of 1,4-dioxane
  • Contains whole grains
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Why it scores 27

Lewis 12 Grain Bread scores 27 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Malt syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  3. 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 sliced bread

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

The Receipt

12 Grain Bread

START100

Ingredients

  • Malt syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Wheat gluten
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [4]
  • Soybean oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [5][6][7][8]
  • Ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [4]
  • Sodium stearoyl lactylate
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [4]
  • 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. [9][10][4]
  • Calcium propionate
    Regulatory Health Canada permits it only in listed foods, up to set limits (2,000 ppm in bread, as propionic acid). [11]
  • 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. [12]
  • Soy lecithin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [4]
subtotal−49

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [4]
  • 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier and industrial protein. [4]
subtotal−19.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 7.1 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some sugar. [1]
  • Salt 1.3 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [13]
  • Energy 250 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Fiber 3.6 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
  • Protein 10.7 g / 100 g
    Info A good source of protein. [2]
subtotal−5
TOTAL 27Poor

100 − 73.5 = 26.5 → 27

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

GTIN 00024126017117 · 2026-07-26

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy250 kcal
Fat5.4 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates46.4 g
Sugars7.1 g
Added sugars3.6 g
Fiber3.6 g
Protein10.7 g
Salt1.3 g

Serving: 1 slice (28 g)

Ingredients

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

UNBLEACHED ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, BARLEY MALT, NIACIN (VITAMIN B3), IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), FOLIC ACID (VITAMIN B9)], WATER, SUGAR, CRACKED WHEAT, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, WHEAT, CORN, YEAST, WHEAT GLUTEN, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, SESAME SEEDS, BARLEY, RYE, TRITICALE, BROWN RICE, OATS, MILLET, GROUND BROWN FLAX, BUCKWHEAT, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (ETHOXYLATED MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, MONOGLYCERIDES, ASCORBIC ACID), CALCIUM PROPIONATE (TO RETAIN FRESHNESS), YEAST NUTRIENTS (MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, AMMONIUM SULFATE, CALCIUM SULFATE), FUMARIC ACID, WHEAT STARCH, SOY LECITHIN.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Sesame

  • Not gluten-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest breads in the US

More from Lewis

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

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

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 11. List of Permitted Preservatives (Lists of Permitted Food Additives)

    Health Canada · Oct 20, 2025 · Regulator

    “B.2 Butylated Hydroxyanisole n/a (a) Active dry yeasts (a) Preservative (a) 1,000 ppm n/a”

    canada.ca

  12. 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

  13. 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

  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

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 1,4-Dioxane in Cosmetics: A Manufacturing Byproduct

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Regulator

    “1,4-dioxane forms as a byproduct during the manufacturing process of certain cosmetic ingredients.”

    fda.gov

  19. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int