Salty snacks
Sun Chips minis Garden Salsa
3.75 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- No synthetic dyes
- Contains whole grains
Why it scores 39
Sun Chips minis Garden Salsa scores 39 out of 100 (Poor) 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 5 points Salt 1.3 g / 100 g: High in salt. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better tortilla chips
-
Garden fresh gourmet, kettle style tortilla chips, unsalted Garden Fresh Gourmet · 14 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
White Corn chips Santitas · 11 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Yellow Corn Santitas Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Organic Blue Corn Tostitos · 10 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Tortilla Strips Kirkland Signature · 48 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 40 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Sun Chips minis Garden Salsa
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Vegetable oil (unspecified) minus 2.5 points
- Sunflower oil minus 2.5 points
- Canola oil minus 1.5 points
- Yeast extract minus 1.5 points
- Whey protein concentrate / isolate minus 1.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 0.5 points
- Corn oil minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 4.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 7.1 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Saturated fat 1.8 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Salt 1.3 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Energy 500 kcal / 100 g minus 3 points
- Fiber 7.1 g / 100 g plus 4 points
100 − 61 = 39
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [12]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 500 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.8 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 64.3 g |
| Sugars | 7.1 g |
| Added sugars | 7.1 g |
| Fiber | 7.1 g |
| Protein | 7.1 g |
| Salt | 1.3 g |
Serving: 1 serving (28 g)
Ingredients
- WHOLE CORN
- VEGETABLE OIL (SUNFLOWER, CANOLA OL)
- BROWN RICE FLOUR
- WHOLE OAT FLOUR
- SUGAR (high concern)
- TOMATO POWDER SALT
- CHEDDAR CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES DEXTROSE BUTTERMILK, ONION POWDER, WHEY, YEAST EXTRACT, MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES)
- WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE MALTODEXTRIN (MADE FROM CORN)
- ROMANO CHEESE (PART-SKIM COW'S NATURAL FLAVORS, CORN OIL, SPICES (INCLUDING JALAPEÑO PEPPER), CITRIC ACID, PAPRIKA EXTRACTS, LACTIC ACID)
Label text, as published
WHOLE CORN, VEGETABLE OIL (SUNFLOWER AND/OR CANOLA OL) WHOLE WHEAT, BROWN RICE FLOUR, WHOLE OAT FLOUR, SUGAR, TOMATO POWDER SALT, CHEDDAR CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES DEXTROSE BUTTERMILK, ONION POWDER, WHEY, YEAST EXTRACT, MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE MALTODEXTRIN (MADE FROM CORN), ROMANO CHEESE (PART-SKIM COW'S NATURAL FLAVORS, CORN OIL, SPICES (INCLUDING JALAPEÑO PEPPER), CITRIC ACID, PAPRIKA EXTRACTS, AND LACTIC ACID. CONTAINS MILK AND WHEAT INGREDIENTS.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More salty snacks on GoodSwap
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Lightly Salted Pistachios Wonderful · 30 g High in saturated fatNo additives Score 79 out of 100 Good -
Totopos El Milagro · 453 g Contains seed oils Score 79 out of 100 Good -
Honey and vanilla, flavored nuts, and fruit clusters Member's Mark · 24 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 19 out of 100 Bad -
Corn Nuts BBQ Crunchy Corn Nuts · 4 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltContains non-nutritive sweetenersContains added sugars Score 22 out of 100 Poor -
Frito lay flavor twists honey bbq Fritos · 3 1/2 oz/99.2 g Dye with an EU warning labelContains synthetic dyesUltra-processedHigh in salt Score 17 out of 100 Bad -
Grass-fed Beef Sticks Country Archer · 4 oz High in saltHigh in saturated fatContains nitrites or nitratesNo synthetic dyes Score 74 out of 100 Good
More from Sun Chips
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
-
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