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Tastykake Pecan Swirls
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Cakes

Tastykake Pecan Swirls

16 oz/1 lb/454 g

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • High in sugar
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
  • Contains artificial flavors
  • May contain traces of 1,4-dioxane
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Why it scores 11

Tastykake Pecan Swirls scores 11 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  3. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4, estimated): No NOVA group on file; estimated from 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers. Strong

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

Better snack cakes and brownies

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

The Receipt

Pecan Swirls

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Corn syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • High fructose corn syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3][4]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4, estimated)
    Strong No NOVA group on file; estimated from 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers. [5]
  • 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [5]
subtotal−22.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 25 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 5.4 g / 100 g
    Strong High in saturated fat. [6]
  • Salt 0.5 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some salt. [7]
  • Energy 357 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Fiber 3.6 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−17
TOTAL 11Bad

100 − 89.5 = 10.5 → 11

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4]

Can’t score above 79. High in saturated fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [8]

GTIN 00025600087305 · 2026-04-23

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy357 kcal
Fat12.5 g
Saturated fat5.4 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates57.1 g
Sugars25 g
Added sugars25 g
Fiber3.6 g
Protein3.6 g
Salt0.5 g

Serving: 1 Roll (28 g)

Ingredients

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

UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, SUGAR, VEGETABLE OIL (PALM OIL AND SOYBEAN OIL), CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, YEAST, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: CINNAMON, PECANS, SALT, WHEAT FLOUR, MONOGLYCERIDES, SOY LECITHIN, DEXTROSE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CALCIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, POLYSORBATE 80, ENZYMES, EGG YOLKS, CINNAMIC ALDEHYDE, COLORED WITH EXTRACTIVES OF TURMERIC AND ANNATTO SEED, EGGS, CELLULOSE GUM, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA), CALCIUM PROPIONATE AND SODIUM PROPIONATE (TO RETARD SPOILAGE).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Tree nuts, Wheat, Gluten, Egg

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

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest cakes in the US

More from Tastykake

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. 21 CFR 184.1866 High fructose corn syrup

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Mar 24, 2023 · Law

    “a sweet, nutritive saccharide mixture containing either approximately 42 or 55 percent fructose”

    ecfr.gov

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  6. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline

    World Health Organization · Jul 17, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”

    who.int

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

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

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  14. 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

  15. 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

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

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int