Potato chips
Ruffles Queso chips
2.5 oz/70.8 g
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 29
Ruffles Queso chips scores 29 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Corn syrup solids: 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 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers: Industrial additive classes found: color (added), flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial protein, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. Emerging
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better potato chips
-
Queso Potato Chips Siete · 5.5 oz/156 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 79 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Ruffles Sea Salted Simply Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 79 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Simply Ruffles Sea Salted Ruffles · 226.8 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 79 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Simply Ruffles Sea Salted Simply · 24.8 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 79 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Protein Pasta Ruffles Pastabilities · 8 oz Less salt · Less saturated fat Score 76 out of 100 , 47 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Ruffles Queso chips
Ingredients
- Corn syrup solids minus 20 points
- Vegetable oil (unspecified) minus 2.5 points
- Canola oil minus 2.5 points
- Soybean oil minus 1.5 points
- Sunflower oil minus 1.5 points
- Maltodextrin minus 1.5 points
- Whey protein concentrate / isolate minus 0.5 points
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG) minus 0.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 0.5 points
- Yeast extract minus 0.5 points
- Gum arabic (acacia) minus 0.5 points
- Caseinate minus 0.5 points
- Milk protein concentrate / isolate minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 5.4 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Salt 2.1 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Energy 536 kcal / 100 g minus 3 points
- Fiber 3.6 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 71.5 = 28.5 → 29
Can’t score above 79. Contains corn syrup solids, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 536 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 35.7 g |
| Saturated fat | 5.4 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53.6 g |
| Sugars | 3.6 g |
| Fiber | 3.6 g |
| Protein | 7.1 g |
| Salt | 2.1 g |
Serving: 28 g
Ingredients
- potatoes
- vegetable oil (canola, corn, soybean, sunflower oil)
- salt
- whey
- maltodextrin (made from corn)
- whey protein concentrate
- monosodium glutamate
- cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes)
- natural flavors
- citric acid
- potassium salt
- spices
- yeast extract
- blue cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes)
- gum acacia
- onion powder
- buttermilk
- paprika extracts
- sodium caseinate
- sour cream (cultured cream, skim milk)
- butter (cream, salt)
- lactic acid
- garlic powder
- milk protein concentrate
- corn syrup solids (high concern)
- skim milk
- annatto extracts
Label text, as published
potatoes, vegetable oil (canola, corn, soybean, and/or sunflower oil), and less than 2% of the following: salt, whey, maltodextrin (made from corn), whey protein concentrate, monosodium glutamate, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), natural flavors, citric acid, potassium salt, spices, yeast extract, blue cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), gum acacia, onion powder, buttermilk, paprika extracts, sodium caseinate, sour cream (cultured cream, skim milk), butter (cream, salt), lactic acid, garlic powder, milk protein concentrate, corn syrup solids, skim milk, and annatto extracts. contains milk ingredients.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy
- Not vegan
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More potato chips on GoodSwap
-
GARDEN SALSA FLAVORED Sun Chips Sun Chips Ultra-processedContains added sugarsContains seed oilsNo synthetic dyes Score 18 out of 100 Bad -
Sweet Potato Chips Sea Salt Jackson's · 16 oz No additivesSeed-oil free Score 79 out of 100 Good -
Tortilla Chips Siete · 15 oz No additivesSeed-oil free Score 79 out of 100 Good -
Kettle cooked potato chips Lay's · 8 oz/226.8 g Contains seed oils Score 77 out of 100 Good -
Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue Flavored Potato Chips Lay's · 7 3/4 oz/219.7 g Ultra-processedHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 35 out of 100 Poor -
Potato Chips Lay's Contains seed oilsNo additives Score 78 out of 100 Good
More from Ruffles
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
-
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
-
“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
-
Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
“FDA considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).”
fda.gov
-
EFSA reviews safety of glutamates added to food
“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
-
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
-
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
-
“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
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
-
“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