GoodSwap Get notified
Nestlé Hot cocoa mix
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Dehydrated beverages

Nestlé Hot cocoa mix

208 g

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • High in salt
  • Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains artificial flavors
Get GoodSwap

Why it scores 16

Nestlé Hot cocoa mix scores 16 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Lactose: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Sugars 50 g / 100 g: Very high in sugar. Strong

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

Better hot cocoa and chocolate drink mixes

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

The Receipt

Hot cocoa mix

START100

Ingredients

  • Lactose
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose)
    Strong In a small randomized feeding trial, carboxymethylcellulose modestly increased abdominal discomfort and reduced gut microbiota diversity; in mice it promoted low-grade inflammation. [4][5][6][7]
  • Sucralose
    Strong 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. [8][9][10][11][2]
  • Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K)
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, acesulfame-K intake was associated with higher cancer risk; cause and effect is not established. [12][13][11][2]
  • Artificial flavors
    Strong US dietary guidelines advise limiting foods with artificial flavors. [2][14]
  • Sodium phosphate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus) and noted that infants, toddlers and children may exceed it. [15]
subtotal−42

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [16]
  • 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, non-nutritive sweetener and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [16]
subtotal−22.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 50 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Salt 4.2 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [17]
  • Energy 312 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Fiber 12.5 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−20
TOTAL 16Bad

100 − 84.5 = 15.5 → 16

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

Can’t score above 79. High in sugars and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [18]

GTIN 00050000140022 · 2022-12-22

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy312 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates50 g
Sugars50 g
Fiber12.5 g
Protein12.5 g
Salt4.2 g

Serving: 2 Tbsp (8 g)

Ingredients

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

INGREDIENTS: DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS, NONFAT MILK, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CELLULOSE GUM, SALT, LACTOSE, AND LESS THAN 2% ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SUCRALOSE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk

  • Not vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest dehydrated beverages in the US

More from Nestlé

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. 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

  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. 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

  7. Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Jan 16, 2018 · Agency assessment

    “The Panel concluded that there was no need for a numerical ADI and that there would be no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels for the unmodified and modified celluloses”

    doi.org

  8. Personalized microbiome-driven effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on human glucose tolerance

    Cell · September 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “As groups, each administered NNS distinctly altered stool and oral microbiome and plasma metabolome, whereas saccharin and sucralose significantly impaired glycemic responses.”

    doi.org

  9. Toxicological and pharmacokinetic properties of sucralose-6-acetate and its parent sucralose: in vitro screening assays

    Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B · Aug 18, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “Sucralose-6-acetate significantly increased the expression of genes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer”

    doi.org

  10. EFSA finds sucralose safe when used as currently authorised; cannot confirm safety of extending its use

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 17, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “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

  11. 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

  12. Artificial sweeteners and cancer risk: Results from the NutriNet-Santé population-based cohort study

    PLOS Medicine · Mar 24, 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  13. Re-evaluation of acesulfame K (E 950) as food additive (plain language summary)

    European Food Safety Authority · Apr 30, 2025 · Agency assessment

    “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

  14. 21 CFR 172.515 Synthetic flavoring substances and adjuvants

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Oct 9, 2017 · Law

    ecfr.gov

  15. EFSA issues new advice on phosphates

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 12, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”

    efsa.europa.eu

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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