Meals
Smart Ones Angel Hair Marinara
255 g
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Seed-oil free
Why it scores 47
Smart Ones Angel Hair Marinara scores 47 out of 100 (Okay) 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 frozen meals
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Angel Hair Marinara
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Carrageenan minus 7.5 points
- Calcium chloride minus 2.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 1.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 3 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Salt 0.6 g / 100 g minus 1 points
100 − 53.5 = 46.5 → 47
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 78 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 0.8 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14.9 g |
| Sugars | 2.4 g |
| Added sugars | 0.4 g |
| Fiber | 1.6 g |
| Protein | 2.8 g |
| Salt | 0.6 g |
Serving: 1 package (255 g)
Ingredients
- MARINARA SAUCE (TOMATO PUREE, DICED TOMATOES, ONIONS, BASIL, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SALT, SUGAR, GARLIC, GRANULATED GARLIC, NATURAL FLAVOR, SPICES) (not recognized)
- SPINACH
- COOKED ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WATER, ENRICHED SEMOLINA, CARRAGEENAN)
- YELLOW ZUCCHINI
- ZUCCHINI
Label text, as published
MARINARA SAUCE (TOMATO PUREE [WATER, TOMATO PASTE], DICED TOMATOES [TOMATOES, TOMATO JUICE, CITRIC ACID, CALCIUM CHLORIDE], ONIONS, BASIL, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SALT, SUGAR, GARLIC, GRANULATED GARLIC, NATURAL FLAVOR, SPICES), SPINACH, COOKED ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WATER, ENRICHED SEMOLINA [DURUM WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], CARRAGEENAN), YELLOW ZUCCHINI, ZUCCHINI
Allergens and diets
Contains: Wheat, Gluten
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Sources
-
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
-
“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
-
21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives
“whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
ecfr.gov
-
“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
-
“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