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Carnation BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Rich Milk Chocolate Nutritional Powder Drink Mix
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Beverages

Carnation BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Rich Milk Chocolate Nutritional Powder Drink Mix

2.36 lb/1.08 kg

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
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Why it scores 7

Carnation BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Rich Milk Chocolate Nutritional Powder Drink Mix scores 7 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Lactose: 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 drink mixes and water enhancers

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

The Receipt

BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Rich Milk Chocolate Nutritional Powder Drink Mix

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Lactose
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Carrageenan
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher carrageenan intake was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes; cause and effect is not established. [4][5][6][7]
  • Maltodextrin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Soy lecithin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [8]
subtotal−21

Nutrition per 100 ml

  • Sugars 52.8 g / 100 ml
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 1.4 g / 100 ml
    Strong Contains some saturated fat. [9]
  • Salt 0.6 g / 100 ml
    Strong High in salt. [10]
  • Energy 389 kcal / 100 ml
    Info Energy-dense for its volume. [2]
subtotal−22
TOTAL 7Bad

100 − 93 = 7

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

Can’t score above 79. High in sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [11]

GTIN 00050000123001 · 2026-05-28

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 ml

Energy389 kcal
Fat2.8 g
Saturated fat1.4 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates75 g
Sugars52.8 g
Added sugars33.3 g
Fiber0 g
Protein13.9 g
Salt0.6 g

Serving: 1 packet (36 g)

Ingredients

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

NONFAT MILK, SUGAR, MALTODEXTRIN, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, LACTOSE, VITAMINS AND MINERALS++, AND LESS THAN 2% OF SOY LECITHIN, CARRAGEENAN, NATURAL FLAVOR ++VITAMINS AND MINERALS: CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDE, SODIUM ASCORBATE (VITAMIN C), CHOLINE BITARTRATE, DL-ALPHA TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (VITAMIN E), FERRIC PHOSPHATE (IRON), NIACINAMIDE, MANGANESE SULFATE, COPPER GLUCONATE, ZINC OXIDE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), THIAMINE MONONITRATE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN K1, CHROMIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM MOLYBDATE, VITAMIN D3, BIOTIN

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

More from Carnation

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. Food additive emulsifiers and the risk of type 2 diabetes: analysis of data from the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study

    The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology · May 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “We found direct associations between the risk of type 2 diabetes and exposures to various food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods, in a large prospective cohort of French adults.”

    doi.org

  5. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome

    Nature · Mar 5, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    “carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”

    doi.org

  6. Re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Apr 26, 2018 · Agency assessment

    “However, the Panel noted uncertainties as regards the chemistry, the exposure assessment and biological and toxicological data.”

    doi.org

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

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. Randomized Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome

    Gastroenterology · March 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”

    doi.org

  15. Food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease in the NutriNet-Santé cohort: prospective cohort study

    BMJ · Sep 6, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”

    doi.org