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Welch's Strawberry Kiwi Juice Drink
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Plant-based beverages

Welch's Strawberry Kiwi Juice Drink

16 fl oz

Bad out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
  • Contains added sugars
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 17

Welch's Strawberry Kiwi Juice Drink scores 17 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. High fructose corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Fruit juice concentrate (sweetener): An added sugar. Strong
  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 juices and juice drinks

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

The Receipt

Strawberry Kiwi Juice Drink

START100

Ingredients

  • High fructose corn syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3][4]
  • Fruit juice concentrate (sweetener)
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • 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. [5][6]
  • Stevia (steviol glycosides)
    Emerging WHO (2023) recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners to control body weight (conditional recommendation); US dietary guidelines advise limiting them. [7][2]
subtotal−44

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [6]
  • 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and non-nutritive sweetener. [6]
subtotal−22.5

Nutrition per 100 ml

  • Sugars 9.1 g / 100 ml
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Energy 38 kcal / 100 ml
    Info Energy-dense for its volume. [2]
subtotal−17
TOTAL 17Bad

100 − 83.5 = 16.5 → 17

Can’t score above 79. Contains high fructose corn syrup, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4]

GTIN 00041800453009 · 2025-08-07

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 ml

Energy38 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates9.7 g
Sugars9.1 g
Added sugars8.7 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt0 g

Serving: 8 OZA (240 ml)

Ingredients

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

FILTERED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, APPLE JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE (FILTERED WATER, APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE), KIWI JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE (FILTERED WATER, KIWI JUICE CONCENTRATE), STRAWBERRY JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE (FILTERED WATER, STRAWBERRY JUICE CONCENTRATE), NATURAL FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID (FOR TARTNESS), SODIUM CITRATE, VEGETABLE JUICE (FOR COLOR), ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), STEVIA LEAF EXTRACT, BETA CAROTENE (FOR COLOR)

Allergens and diets

  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest plant-based beverages in the US

More from Welch's

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. 21 CFR 184.1866 High fructose corn syrup

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Mar 24, 2023 · Law

    “a sweet, nutritive saccharide mixture containing either approximately 42 or 55 percent fructose”

    ecfr.gov

  5. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  7. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline

    World Health Organization · May 15, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “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

  8. 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

  9. 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