GoodSwap Get notified
Ricola The Original Family Pack
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Candies

Ricola The Original Family Pack

50

Okay out of 100 Low confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • No additives
Get GoodSwap

Why it scores 57

Ricola The Original Family Pack scores 57 out of 100 (Okay) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Menthol (flavor): An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). Info

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

The Receipt

Ricola The Original Family Pack

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Menthol (flavor)
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [4]
  • Natural flavors
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [5][4]
subtotal−25

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [4]
subtotal−18

Nutrition

  • Nutrition facts unavailable
    Info No nutrition facts on file, so nutrition was not scored.
subtotal0
TOTAL 57Okay

100 − 43 = 57

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]

Can’t score above 79. No nutrition facts on file, so we can't confirm excellent.

GTIN 00036602300330 · 2025-02-04

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Low confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Ingredients

  • Active Ingredient (in each drop) Menthol
  • 4.8 mg
  • Cough suppressant
  • Oral anesthetic Inactive Ingredients color (caramel)
  • extract of a Ricola herb mixture (elder, horehound, hyssop, lemon balm, linden flowers, mallow, peppermint, sage, thyme, wild thymel natural flavor, starch syrup, sugar)
High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

Active Ingredient (in each drop) Menthol, 4.8 mg.. .Cough suppressant, Oral anesthetic Inactive Ingredients color (caramel), extract of a Ricola herb mixture (elder, horehound, hyssop, lemon balm, linden flowers, mallow, peppermint, sage, thyme, wild thymel natural flavor, starch syrup, sugar

Healthiest candies in the US

More from Ricola

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. 21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

    ecfr.gov

  6. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  7. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org