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Smartfood Doritos Nacho Cheese
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Puffed salty snacks made from maize

Smartfood Doritos Nacho Cheese

1 and 61/4 oz

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • High in salt
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains seed oils
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 17

Smartfood Doritos Nacho Cheese scores 17 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Lactose: 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 popcorn

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

The Receipt

Smartfood Doritos Nacho Cheese

START100

Ingredients

  • Dextrose
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Lactose
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
subtotal−50

Processing

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

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Saturated fat 7.1 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in saturated fat. [5]
  • Salt 1.8 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [6]
  • Energy 571 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Fiber 7.1 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−11
TOTAL 17Bad

100 − 83.5 = 16.5 → 17

Can’t score above 79. Contains dextrose, 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). [7]

GTIN 00028400695688 · 2025-11-16

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy571 kcal
Fat39.3 g
Saturated fat7.1 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates46.4 g
Sugars3.6 g
Fiber7.1 g
Protein7.1 g
Salt1.8 g

Serving: 1 serving (28 g)

Ingredients

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

POPCORN, VEGETABLE OIL (CORN, CANOLA, AND/OR SUNFLOWER OIL), CHEDDAR CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), WHEY, AND LESS THAN 2% OF THE FOLLOWING: NATURAL FLAVORS, ONION POWDER, SALT, BUTTERMILK, ROMANO CHEESE (COW'S MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MALTODEXTRIN (MADE FROM CORN), POTASSIUM SALT, TOMATO POWDER, SPICES, DEXTROSE, GARLIC POWDER, LACTOSE, RED AND GREEN BELL PEPPERS, SKIM MILK, CITRIC ACID, SUGAR, PAPRIKA EXTRACTS, VEGETABLE JUICE (COLOR), AND ANNATTO EXTRACTS.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest puffed salty snacks made from maize in the US

More from Smartfood

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. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

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

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  10. 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