Food
CAP'N CRUNCH Sweetened Corn & Oat Cereal
Score
- Dye with an EU warning label
- Contains synthetic dyes
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
- Contains whole grains
Why it scores 8
CAP'N CRUNCH Sweetened Corn & Oat Cereal scores 8 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 Molasses: 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 breakfast cereals
-
Oat protein cereal Seven Sundays · 8 oz No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 59 out of 100 , 51 points higher -
Honey'D Corn Flakes Nature's Path Organic · 300 No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 52 out of 100 , 44 points higher -
Corn Chex General Mills · 12 oz No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 62 out of 100 , 54 points higher -
Overnight Oat & Chia berry fairy Prana Organic No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 50 out of 100 , 42 points higher -
Fruit Juice Corn Flakes Cereal Nature's Path No EU warning-label dyes · No synthetic dyes Score 72 out of 100 , 64 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
CAP'N CRUNCH Sweetened Corn & Oat Cereal
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Molasses minus 20 points
- Yellow 5 minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 42.1 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Saturated fat 2.6 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Salt 1.5 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Energy 395 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
100 − 92 = 8
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Can’t score above 79. High in sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [13]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 395 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 5.3 g |
| Saturated fat | 2.6 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 86.8 g |
| Sugars | 42.1 g |
| Added sugars | 42.1 g |
| Fiber | 2.6 g |
| Protein | 5.3 g |
| Salt | 1.5 g |
Serving: 1 serving (38 g)
Ingredients
- corn flour
- sugar (high concern)
- oat flour
- vegetable oil (coconut, palm oil)
- salt
- molasses (high concern)
- reduced iron
- yellow 5 (high concern)
- niacinamide
- yellow 6 (high concern)
- bht (to preserve freshness)
- thiamine mononitrate
- pyridoxine hydrochloride
- riboflavin
- folic acid
Label text, as published
corn flour, sugar, oat flour, vegetable oil (coconut and/or palm oil), salt, molasses, reduced iron, yellow 5, niacinamide*, yellow 6, bht (to preserve freshness), thiamine mononitrate*, pyridoxine hydrochloride*, riboflavin*, folic acid*. *one of the b vitamins
Allergens and diets
Contains: Tree nuts, Gluten
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More from Cap'n Crunch
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
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of 16 December 2008 on food additives
“may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
eur-lex.europa.eu
-
“may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
legislation.gov.uk
-
“Artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.”
doi.org
-
Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes
“FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2—by the end of 2027.”
fda.gov
-
California AB 2316 (2024), Pupil nutrition: substances: prohibition
“beginning December 31, 2027, would prohibit a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school”
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
-
21 CFR 74.705 FD&C Yellow No. 5
“shall specifically declare the presence of FD&C Yellow No. 5 by listing the color additive as FD&C Yellow No. 5 among the list of ingredients.”
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
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HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply (press release)
“Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months.”
fda.gov
-
“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
-
“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
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu