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Lay's Smooth Ranch Dip
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Sauces

Lay's Smooth Ranch Dip

15 oz, 425 g

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
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Why it scores 39

Lay's Smooth Ranch Dip scores 39 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. 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers: Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial protein, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. Emerging

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

Better dips and spreads

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

The Receipt

Smooth Ranch Dip

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Sunflower oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [4][5][6][7]
  • Canola oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [4][5][6][7]
  • Whey protein concentrate / isolate
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Modified starch
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
    Strong The FDA considers MSG generally recognized as safe; some sensitive people report mild, short-lived symptoms after 3 g or more without food. [9][10][8]
  • Natural flavors
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [11][8]
  • Xanthan gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • DATEM
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
subtotal−31

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial protein, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [8]
subtotal−25.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Saturated fat 1.5 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some saturated fat. [12]
  • Salt 1.5 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [13]
  • Energy 182 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Fiber 3 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−5
TOTAL 39Poor

100 − 61.5 = 38.5 → 39

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

Can’t score above 79. High in salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]

GTIN 00028400070959 · 2026-07-24

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy182 kcal
Fat15.2 g
Saturated fat1.5 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates6.1 g
Sugars0 g
Added sugars0 g
Fiber3 g
Protein3 g
Salt1.5 g

Serving: 33 g

Ingredients

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

WATER, SUNFLOWER OIL AND/OR CANOLA OIL, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, AND LESS THAN 2% OF THE FOLLOWING: SALT, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, GARLIC POWDER, SPICES, ONION POWDER, NATURAL FLAVORS, SUGAR, GLUCONO DELTA LACTONE, LACTIC ACID, XANTHAN GUM, AND DATEM.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Packaging

Metal, Glass

Context only: no points in v1.

Healthiest sauces in the US

More from Lay's

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. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

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

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Jul 17, 2026 · Regulator

    “FDA considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).”

    fda.gov

  10. EFSA reviews safety of glutamates added to food

    European Food Safety Authority · Jul 12, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “EFSA re-assessed the safety of glutamates used as food additives and derived a group acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 30 mg/kg body weight per day for all six of these additives.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  11. 21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

    ecfr.gov

  12. 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

  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. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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