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Goya Red Kidney Beans
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Vegetables based foods

Goya Red Kidney Beans

130 g

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains seed oils
  • Contains palm oil
  • Contains artificial flavors
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 24

Goya Red Kidney Beans scores 24 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Molasses: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Caramel color: The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. Regulatory
  3. 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 canned and dried beans

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Red Kidney Beans

START100

Ingredients

  • Molasses
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Caramel color
    Regulatory The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. [4][5][6][7]
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
    Strong The FDA considers MSG generally recognized as safe; some sensitive people report mild, short-lived symptoms after 3 g or more without food. [8][9][10]
  • Soybean oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [11][12][13][14]
  • 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. [15][10]
  • Maltodextrin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
  • Palm oil
    Strong About half saturated fat; WHO recommends keeping saturated fat to 10% of energy or less. [16][17][18]
  • Yeast extract
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
  • Silicon dioxide
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
  • Sunflower oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [11][12][13][14]
  • Natural and artificial flavors
    Strong The label does not disclose which flavoring substances are used. [15][2]
  • Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [10]
  • 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: anti-caking agent, color (added), flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and sequestrant. [10]
subtotal−25.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 0.9 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [19]
  • Fiber 5.4 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−1
TOTAL 24Poor

100 − 76.5 = 23.5 → 24

Can’t score above 79. Contains molasses, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

GTIN 00041331020510 · 2026-05-26

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy123 kcal
Fat0.8 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates21.5 g
Sugars0.8 g
Added sugars0 g
Fiber5.4 g
Protein7.7 g
Salt0.9 g

Serving: 130g

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

RED KIDNEY BEANS, WATER, GREEN BELL PEPPER, TOMATO PASTE, SALT, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, SOYBEAN OIL, DEHYDRATED ONION, GRANULATED GARLIC, NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL HAM TYPE FLAVOR (MALTODEXTRIN, SALT, PALM OIL, YEAST EXTRACT, MOLASSES, SILICON DIOXIDE, GARLIC POWDER, ONION POWDER, MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR AND CITRIC ACID), CULANTRO, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, OLIVE OIL, ONION POWDER, GROUND OREGANO, DISODIUM EDTA ADDED TO PROMOTE COLOR RETENTION, CARAMEL COLOR, NATURAL HICKORY SMOKE FLAVOR (MALTODEXTRIN, NATURAL HICKORY SMOKE FLAVOR, SILICON DIOXIDE AS ANTICAKING AGENT) AND ANNATTO.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Soy

  • Not palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

More from Goya

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. Questions & Answers About 4-MEI

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Mar 27, 2020 · Regulator

    “Based on current science, the FDA has no reason to believe that there are any immediate or short-term health risks presented by 4-MEI at the levels expected in food.”

    fda.gov

  5. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  6. Caramel Color in Soft Drinks and Exposure to 4-Methylimidazole: A Quantitative Risk Assessment

    PLOS ONE · Feb 18, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  7. Proposition 65 List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity

    California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) · Jul 31, 2026 · Law

    “The date refers to the initial appearance of the chemical on the list.”

    oehha.ca.gov

  8. Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Jul 17, 2026 · Regulator

    “FDA considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).”

    fda.gov

  9. EFSA reviews safety of glutamates added to food

    European Food Safety Authority · Jul 12, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “EFSA re-assessed the safety of glutamates used as food additives and derived a group acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 30 mg/kg body weight per day for all six of these additives.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  10. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  12. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

    BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  13. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org

  14. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  15. 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

  16. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline

    World Health Organization · Jul 17, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”

    who.int

  17. Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods

    European Food Safety Authority · May 3, 2016 · Agency assessment

    “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

  18. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food

    European Union (Official Journal) · Apr 25, 2023 · Law

    “Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  19. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “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

  20. 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

  21. 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