Food
Welchs Zero Sugar
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
- Contains added sugars
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 38
Welchs Zero Sugar scores 38 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Fruit juice concentrate (sweetener): An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
- minus 7.5 points Sucralose: In a 2022 randomized study, sucralose and saccharin altered the gut microbiome and impaired glucose responses in some people; a 2023 lab study raised questions about its by-product sucralose-6-acetate. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better juices and juice drinks
-
Zero sugar mixed berry juice Ocean Spray · 64 fl oz No added sugars · No fruit juice concentrate (sweetener) Score 76 out of 100 , 38 points higher -
Zero Sugar Cranberry Juice Ocean Spray · 64 oz No added sugars · No fruit juice concentrate (sweetener) Score 75 out of 100 , 37 points higher -
Zero Sugar Cranberry Great Value · 64 fl oz/2 Quart/1.89 L No added sugars · No fruit juice concentrate (sweetener) Score 64 out of 100 , 26 points higher -
Welch’s diet Welch's · 64 fl oz No added sugars · No fruit juice concentrate (sweetener) Score 69 out of 100 , 31 points higher -
Reduced sugar fruit punch Caprisun Not ultra-processed · No non-nutritive sweeteners Score 96 out of 100 , 58 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Welchs Zero Sugar
Ingredients
- Fruit juice concentrate (sweetener) minus 20 points
- Sucralose minus 7.5 points
- Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) minus 7.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 1.5 points
- Pectin minus 1.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 6 points
100 − 62 = 38
Can’t score above 79. Contains fruit juice concentrate (sweetener), an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 3 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.8 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Salt | 0 g |
Serving: 8 fl (240 ml)
Ingredients
- filtered water
- apple puree ts from concentrate (filtered water, apple ainer oml)
- grape juice from concentrate (filtered water, grape juice concentrate)
- passion fruit juice from concentrate (filtered water, passion fruit juice concentrate)
- natural flavor
- citric acid (for tartness)
- pectin
- ascorbic acid (vitamin c)
- sodium citrate
- sucralose (moderate concern)
- acesulfame potassium (moderate concern)
- beta carotene (for value color)** adds a negligible amount of sugar 5 0% 1% manufactured for 0% ©2023 welch's concord
- ma 01742 (not recognized)
Label text, as published
filtered water, apple puree ts from concentrate (filtered water, apple ainer oml) puree concentrate)**, grape juice from concentrate (filtered water, grape juice concentrate)**, passion fruit juice from concentrate (filtered water, passion fruit juice concentrate)**, natural flavor, citric acid (for tartness), pectin, ascorbic acid (vitamin c), sodium citrate, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, beta carotene (for value color)** adds a negligible amount of sugar 5 0% 1% manufactured for 0% ©2023 welch's concord, ma 01742
Allergens and diets
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
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
-
Personalized microbiome-driven effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on human glucose tolerance
“As groups, each administered NNS distinctly altered stool and oral microbiome and plasma metabolome, whereas saccharin and sucralose significantly impaired glycemic responses.”
doi.org
-
“Sucralose-6-acetate significantly increased the expression of genes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer”
doi.org
-
“EFSA’s experts concluded that the sweetener sucralose (E 955) continues to be safe for consumers for its currently authorised uses as a food additive.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline
“The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.”
who.int
-
Artificial sweeteners and cancer risk: Results from the NutriNet-Santé population-based cohort study
“In this large cohort study, artificial sweeteners (especially aspartame and acesulfame-K), which are used in many food and beverage brands worldwide, were associated with increased cancer risk.”
doi.org
-
Re-evaluation of acesulfame K (E 950) as food additive (plain language summary)
“The acceptable daily intake (ADI) considered safe for all population groups was set at 15 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives
“whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
ecfr.gov
-
“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