Crackers (Appetizers)
Quest Cheese Crackers
7.2 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 14
Quest Cheese Crackers scores 14 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Malt syrup: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points 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 cheese crackers
-
Pop Mmmm's Baked Snack Crackers Cheddar Simple Mills · 4 oz No added sugars · No seed oils Score 70 out of 100 , 56 points higher -
Gouda Cheese Cracker Cuts Private Selection · 10 oz No added sugars · No seed oils Score 74 out of 100 , 60 points higher -
Pizza Baked Snack Crackers Simple Mills · 4 oz (113 g) No added sugars · No sugar Score 70 out of 100 , 56 points higher -
Goldfish Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar Pepperidge Farm · 0.9 oz No added sugars · No sugar Score 59 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Goldfish whole grain cheddar crackers Pepperidge Farm · Whole Grain No added sugars · No sugar Score 63 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
Cheese Crackers
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Malt syrup minus 20 points
- Corn syrup minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 6 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 7.1 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Salt 3.6 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Energy 393 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Fiber 3.6 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 86 = 14
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). [6]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 393 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 5.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 78.6 g |
| Sugars | 7.1 g |
| Added sugars | 3.6 g |
| Fiber | 3.6 g |
| Protein | 7.1 g |
| Salt | 3.6 g |
Serving: 10 crackers (28 g)
Ingredients
- ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID)
- SUGAR (high concern)
- SOYBEAN OIL
- SALT
- TAPIOCA MALT SYRUP (TAPIOCA SYRUP, MALT EXTRACT) (high concern)
- WHEY (MILK)
- MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE
- SODIUM DIACETATE
- CAYENNE PEPPER SAUCE (CAYENNE RED PEPPERS, VINEGAR, SALT, GARLIC)
- DEXTROSE (high concern)
- MODIFIED CORNSTARCH
- FLAVOR
- CITRIC ACID
- DISODIUM INOSINATE AND DISODIUM GUANYLATE
- PAPRIKA EXTRACT (FOR COLOR)
- SPICE
- VINEGAR
- CANOLA OIL
- SODA (not recognized)
Label text, as published
INGREDIENTS: ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, TAPIOCA MALT SYRUP (TAPIOCA SYRUP, MALT EXTRACT), WHEY (MILK), MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, SODIUM DIACETATE, CAYENNE PEPPER SAUCE (CAYENNE RED PEPPERS, VINEGAR, SALT, GARLIC), DEXTROSE, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID, DISODIUM INOSINATE AND DISODIUM GUANYLATE, PAPRIKA EXTRACT (FOR COLOR), SPICE, VINEGAR, CANOLA OIL, SODA. CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- 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
-
“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
-
“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