Salad dressings

Ken's Thousand Island Dressing

16 fl oz/1 PT/473 mL

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence

Ultra-processed
High in salt
High in saturated fat
Contains added sugars
Contains seed oils
No synthetic dyes

Why it scores 27

Ken's Thousand Island Dressing scores 27 out of 100 (Poor) 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 7 points Saturated fat 6.5 g / 100 g: Very high in saturated fat. Strong

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

Better salad dressings

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

The Receipt

Thousand Island Dressing

START100

Ingredients

Sugar minus 20 points

Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
Soybean oil minus 2.5 points

Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [4][5][6][7]
Xanthan gum minus 2.5 points

Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
Natural flavors minus 1.5 points

Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [9][8]
Propylene glycol alginate minus 1.5 points

Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
Potassium sorbate minus 1.5 points

Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI of 11 mg/kg body weight (as sorbic acid); generally recognized as safe in the US. [10][11]
Calcium disodium EDTA minus 0.5 points

Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]

subtotal−30

Processing

Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points

Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
4 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 4.5 points

Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), flavoring, sequestrant and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [8]

subtotal−22.5

Nutrition per 100 g

Sugars 12.9 g / 100 g minus 5 points

Strong High in sugar. [1]
Saturated fat 6.5 g / 100 g minus 7 points

Strong Very high in saturated fat. [12]
Salt 1.9 g / 100 g minus 7 points

Strong Very high in salt. [13]
Energy 452 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points

Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]

subtotal−21

TOTAL 27Poor

100 − 73.5 = 26.5 → 27

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

Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy	452 kcal
Fat	45.2 g
Saturated fat	6.5 g
Trans fat	0 g
Carbohydrates	12.9 g
Sugars	12.9 g
Added sugars	9.7 g
Fiber	0 g
Protein	0 g
Salt	1.9 g

Serving: 2 Tbsp (30 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.

Label text, as published

SOYBEAN OIL, TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), DISTILLED VINEGAR, SUGAR, WATER, SWEET PICKLE RELISH (CUCUMBER, SUGAR, DISTILLED VINEGAR, SALT, XANTHAN GUM, LESS THAN 2% NATURAL FLAVOR, SPICES [INCLUDING MUSTARD SEED, CELERY SEED], MINCED ONION, RED BELL PEPPER, TURMERIC), EGG YOLK, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, MUSTARD FLOUR, PROPYLENE GLYCOL ALGINATE, XANTHAN GUM, ONION*, POTASSIUM SORBATE AND SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVES), GARLIC,* NATURAL FLAVOR, SPICE, ONION POWDER, GARLIC POWDER, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR), RED BELL PEPPER,* OLEORESIN PAPRIKA (COLOR).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Soy, Egg, Mustard, Celery

Not vegan
Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Packaging

Pvc 3 polyvinyl chloride, Pet 1 polyethylene terephthalate

Context only: no points in v1.

Sources

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

Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

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

Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

doi.org
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
Opinion on the follow-up of the re-evaluation of sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202) as food additives

European Food Safety Authority · Mar 1, 2019 · Agency assessment

“By applying a default uncertainty factor of 100, the Panel established a group ADI expressed as 11 mg sorbic acid/kg bw per day for sorbic acid (E 200) and its potassium salt (E 202).”

doi.org
21 CFR 182.3640 Potassium sorbate

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 22, 2016 · Law

ecfr.gov
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
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
Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
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
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

Score

Why it scores 27

Better salad dressings

Nutrition per 100 g

Ingredients

Allergens and diets

Packaging

More salad dressings on GoodSwap

More from Ken's

Sources