Pitas
Papa Pita Greek Style Pita
12 pita, 80 g/pita, 953 g total
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
Why it scores 41
Papa Pita Greek Style Pita scores 41 out of 100 (Okay) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- 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
- minus 5 points Salt 1.6 g / 100 g: High in salt. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better pita, naan and flatbreads
-
Greek Style Flatbreads Deli Kitchen Less salt · No added sugars Score 77 out of 100 , 36 points higher -
Whole wheat pita Middle East Bakery · 17 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 94 out of 100 , 53 points higher -
White pita Middle East Bakery · 10 oz/283 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 92 out of 100 , 51 points higher -
Whole wheat pita bread Trader Joe's · 12 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 99 out of 100 , 58 points higher -
Pita Bread Original Pockets Trader Joe's · 12 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 90 out of 100 , 49 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Greek Style Pita
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Soybean oil minus 2.5 points
- Calcium propionate minus 2.5 points
- Mono- and diglycerides minus 1.5 points
- Sodium acid pyrophosphate minus 1.5 points
- Calcium phosphate minus 1.5 points
- Wheat gluten minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 1.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 5 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Saturated fat 1.3 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Salt 1.6 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Energy 275 kcal / 100 g minus 1 points
100 − 59.5 = 40.5 → 41
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). [15]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 275 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 5 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.3 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52.5 g |
| Sugars | 5 g |
| Added sugars | 3.8 g |
| Fiber | 2.5 g |
| Protein | 7.5 g |
| Salt | 1.6 g |
Serving: 1 pita (80 g)
Ingredients
- ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, ASCORBIC ACID ADDED AS A DOUGH CONDITIONER THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID)
- WATER
- SUGAR (high concern)
- SOYBEAN OIL
- YEAST
- SALT
- SUGARCANE FIBER
- CALCIUM PROPIONATE PRESERVATIVE
- MONO - AND DIGLYCERIDES
- BAKING SODA
- SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE
- CITRIC ACID PRESERVATIVE
- SEA SALT
- MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE
- WHEAT GLUTEN
- ENZYMES
- SESAME FLOUR
Label text, as published
ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, ASCORBIC ACID ADDED AS A DOUGH CONDITIONER THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, YEAST, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: SALT, SUGARCANE FIBER, CALCIUM PROPIONATE PRESERVATIVE, MONO - AND DIGLYCERIDES, BAKING SODA, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, CITRIC ACID PRESERVATIVE, SEA SALT, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, WHEAT GLUTEN, ENZYMES, SESAME FLOUR. CONTAINS: SESAME, WHEAT.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Sesame
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Packaging
Plastic, Ldpe 4 low density polyethylene
Context only: no points in v1.
Sources
-
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
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“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
-
11. List of Permitted Preservatives (Lists of Permitted Food Additives)
“B.2 Butylated Hydroxyanisole n/a (a) Active dry yeasts (a) Preservative (a) 1,000 ppm n/a”
canada.ca
-
“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
-
Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives
“The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”
doi.org
-
EFSA issues new advice on phosphates
“We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
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
-
“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