Vegetarian hot dog sausages
Morningstar Farms Corn Dogs
10 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 16
Morningstar Farms Corn Dogs scores 16 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better burgers and patties
-
Elote Recipe with Roasted Corn, Jalapeños & Quesadilla Cheese Charbroiled Chicken Burgers Amylu Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 63 points higher -
Plant-Based Patties Beyond Burger Less salt · No added sugars Score 59 out of 100 , 43 points higher -
Veggie Burgers Trader Joe's · 340 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 65 out of 100 , 49 points higher -
Impossible Burger Patties Impossible · 24 oz 680 g 1.5 lb Less salt · No added sugars Score 61 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Grillers Prime Burgers Vegetarian Morningstar Farms · 10 oz Less salt · No added sugars Score 68 out of 100 , 52 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Corn Dogs
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Dextrose minus 20 points
- Brown sugar minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 11.3 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Salt 1.7 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Energy 211 kcal / 100 g minus 1 points
- Protein 12.7 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 84.5 = 15.5 → 16
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). [6]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 211 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 4.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33.8 g |
| Sugars | 11.3 g |
| Added sugars | 9.9 g |
| Fiber | 1.4 g |
| Protein | 12.7 g |
| Salt | 1.7 g |
Serving: 1 dog (71 g)
Ingredients
- WATER
- WHEAT FLOUR
- WHEAT GLUTEN
- SUGAR (high concern)
- YELLOW CORN MEAL
- YELLOW CORN FLOUR
- VEGETABLE OIL (corn, canola, sunflower)
- salt
- dextrose (high concern)
- leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate) (not recognized)
- brown sugar (high concern)
- methylcellulose
- spices
- yeast extract
- onion powder
- pea protein
- natural flavors
- garlic powder
- carrageenan (moderate concern)
- xanthan gum
- paprika extract color
- vegetable juice for color
- tomato lycopene extract color
- paprika color
- yeast
Label text, as published
INGREDIENTS: WATER, WHEAT FLOUR, WHEAT GLUTEN, SUGAR, YELLOW CORN MEAL, YELLOW CORN FLOUR, VEGETABLE OIL (corn, canola and/or sunflower). CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF salt, dextrose, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate), brown sugar, methylcellulose, spices, yeast extract, onion powder, pea protein, natural flavors, garlic powder, carrageenan, xanthan gum, paprika extract color, vegetable juice for color, tomato lycopene extract color, paprika color, yeast.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Wheat, Gluten
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Packaging
Paper
Context only: no points in v1.
More from Morningstar Farms
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
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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
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Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“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
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“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
-
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
-
“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
-
“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