Apple cereal bars
Kellogg's Kellog's Nutrigrain Apple Cinnamon
20.8 oz (592 g)
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- Contains whole grains
Why it scores 6
Kellogg's Kellog's Nutrigrain Apple Cinnamon scores 6 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Fructose: 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 granola and snack bars
-
Organic Apple, Cinnamon & Spinach Snack Bar Good & Gather toddler · 3.9 oz/110 g No added sugars · No gut-studied emulsifiers Score 61 out of 100 , 55 points higher -
Yumi Organic Bar - Apple Cinnamon & Squash Yumi · 3.70 oz/105 g Less sugar · No added sugars Score 60 out of 100 , 54 points higher -
Cinnamon Apple Chewy Bars - No added Sugar Cascadian Farm Organic · 6 oz/170 g Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 63 out of 100 , 57 points higher -
Apple Cinnamon Meal Bar Off the Farm · 94 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 77 out of 100 , 71 points higher -
Apple Pie Larabar · 45 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 77 out of 100 , 71 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Kellog's Nutrigrain Apple Cinnamon
Ingredients
- Fructose minus 20 points
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Dextrose minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 9 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 8 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 31.3 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Saturated fat 1.6 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Salt 0.8 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Energy 355 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Fiber 4.7 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 94 = 6
Can’t score above 79. Contains fructose, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [7]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 355 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 9.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.6 g |
| Trans fat | 0.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 67.2 g |
| Sugars | 31.3 g |
| Added sugars | 29.8 g |
| Fiber | 4.7 g |
| Protein | 4.1 g |
| Salt | 0.8 g |
Serving: 1 Bar (37 g)
Ingredients
- CRUST: whole grain oats
- whole wheat flour
- soybean oil
- enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- fructose (high concern)
- sugar (high concern)
- dextrose (high concern)
- calcium carbonate
- glycerin
- invert sugar (high concern)
- whey
- soluble corn fiber
- choline bitartrate
- cellulose
- salt
- cinnamon
- potassium bicarbonate
- natural flavor
- vitamin mineral blend (salt, niacinamide, iron, zinc oxide, vitamin D3, vitamin B12, thiamin hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin)
- wheat bran
- mono- & diglycerides
- soy lecithin
- wheat gluten
- carrageenan (moderate concern)
- guar gum
- FILLING: invert sugar (high concern)
- corn syrup (high concern)
- glycerin
- apple puree concentrate
- sugar (high concern)
- sodium alginate
- modified food starch
- sodium citrate
- lemon juice concentrate
- methylcellulose
- citric acid
- calcium phosphate
- cinnamon
Label text, as published
INGREDIENTS: CRUST: whole grain oats, whole wheat flour, soybean oil, enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), fructose, sugar, dextrose, calcium carbonate, glycerin, invert sugar, whey, soluble corn fiber, choline bitartrate, cellulose, salt, cinnamon, potassium bicarbonate, natural flavor, vitamin mineral blend (salt, niacinamide, iron, zinc oxide, vitamin D3, vitamin B12, thiamin hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin), wheat bran, mono- & diglycerides, soy lecithin, wheat gluten, carrageenan, guar gum, FILLING: invert sugar, corn syrup, glycerin, apple puree concentrate, sugar, sodium alginate, modified food starch, sodium citrate, lemon juice concentrate, methylcellulose, citric acid, calcium phosphate, cinnamon.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Packaging
Composite material, Recycled paper
Context only: no points in v1.
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
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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
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“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
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“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
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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