Mixed vegetables
Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
8 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
- Contains artificial flavors
Why it scores 10
Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes scores 10 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Corn syrup solids: An added sugar. Strong
- 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
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better fries and frozen potatoes
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Homestyle Mashed Potatoes Kroger · 24 oz Less salt · Less saturated fat Score 64 out of 100 , 54 points higher -
All Natural Mashed Potatoes Homestyle Classic Bob Evans · 20 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 89 out of 100 , 79 points higher -
Potato Flakes Instant Mashed Potatoes Bob's Red Mill · 16 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 100 out of 100 , 90 points higher -
Mashed Potatoes Hungry Jack · 756 g Less salt · Less saturated fat Score 53 out of 100 , 43 points higher -
Mashed Potatoes Chef's Cupboard Less salt · Less saturated fat Score 72 out of 100 , 62 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Buttery Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- Corn syrup solids minus 20 points
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Sodium bisulfite minus 7.5 points
- Vegetable oil (unspecified) minus 1.5 points
- Palm oil minus 1 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 6 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 7.1 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Salt 4.1 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Energy 393 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Fiber 3.6 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 90 = 10
Can’t score above 79. Contains corn syrup solids, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in saturated fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [16]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 393 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 10.7 g |
| Saturated fat | 7.1 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 71.4 g |
| Sugars | 3.6 g |
| Added sugars | 3.6 g |
| Fiber | 3.6 g |
| Protein | 7.1 g |
| Salt | 4.1 g |
Serving: 1 serving (140 g)
Ingredients
- Idaho potatoes
- vegetable oil (coconut, palm, soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, canola)
- corn syrup solids (high concern)
- salt
- maltodextrin
- nonfat dry milk
- sugar (high concern)
- sodium caseinate
- butter powder (butter, nonfat milk solids, sodium caseinate and disodium phosphate)
- mono and diglycerides
- calcium stearoyl lactylate
- natural and artificial flavors (milk, soy)
- spice
- sodium acid pyrophosphate (preserve freshness)
- sodium bisulfite (preserve freshness) (moderate concern)
- dipotassium phosphate
- artificial color
- citric acid (preserve freshness)
- mixed tocopherols (preserve freshness) and less than 2% silicon dioxide added as an anti-caking agent
Label text, as published
Idaho potatoes, vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following: coconut, palm, soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, canola), corn syrup solids, salt, maltodextrin, nonfat dry milk, sugar, sodium caseinate, butter powder [butter (sweet cream, salt, annatto color), nonfat milk solids, sodium caseinate and disodium phosphate], mono and diglycerides, calcium stearoyl lactylate, natural and artificial flavors (milk, soy), spice, sodium acid pyrophosphate (preserve freshness), sodium bisulfite (preserve freshness), dipotassium phosphate, artificial color, citric acid (preserve freshness), mixed tocopherols (preserve freshness) and less than 2% silicon dioxide added as an anti-caking agent.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Tree nuts, Soy, Sulphites
- Not vegan
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More mixed vegetables on GoodSwap
-
Organic Sushi Nori Ocean's Halo · 1 oz Certified organicNo additives Score 100 out of 100 Excellent -
Riced Veggies Cauliflower Risotto Medley Green Giant · 10 oz No additives Score 100 out of 100 Excellent -
Buttery Homestyle Complete Potatoes Great Value · 4 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltContains added sugarsContains emulsifiers studied for gut effects Score 26 out of 100 Poor -
Baby Reds Mashed Potatoes Idahoan · 4.1 oz High in saltHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsContains emulsifiers studied for gut effects Score 40 out of 100 Okay -
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Idahoan · 8 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 24 out of 100 Poor -
Garlic Butter Broccoli Birds Eye · 9 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltContains seed oilsNo synthetic dyes Score 59 out of 100 Okay
More from Idahoan
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
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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
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Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers
“ANNEX II SUBSTANCES OR PRODUCTS CAUSING ALLERGIES OR INTOLERANCES 1. Cereals containing gluten, namely: wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut or their hybridised strains”
eur-lex.europa.eu
-
“1. Cereals containing gluten, namely: wheat (such as spelt and khorasan wheat), rye, barley, oats or their hybridised strains, and products thereof”
legislation.gov.uk
-
“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
-
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
-
Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods
“The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.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
-
“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