Vegetables from Spain

Ben's Original Ready Rice Butter & Garlic Flavored

8.8 pz,

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence

Ultra-processed
Contains added sugars
Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
Contains seed oils
No synthetic dyes

Why it scores 23

Ben's Original Ready Rice Butter & Garlic Flavored scores 23 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

minus 20 points Corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
minus 20 points Sugar: 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 quinoa, couscous and other grains

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

The Receipt

Ready Rice Butter & Garlic Flavored

START100

Ingredients

Corn syrup minus 20 points

Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
Sugar minus 20 points

Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
Canola oil minus 2.5 points

Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [4][5][6][7]
Modified starch minus 1.5 points

Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
Maltodextrin minus 1.5 points

Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
Yeast extract minus 1.5 points

Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
Sunflower oil minus 0.5 points

Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [4][5][6][7]
Natural flavors minus 0.5 points

Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [9][8]
Mono- and diglycerides minus 0.5 points

Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher intakes of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471 and E472) were associated with higher cardiovascular risk; cause and effect is not established. [10][11][8]
Sunflower lecithin minus 0.5 points

Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]

subtotal−49

Processing

Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points

Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points

Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and modified starch. [8]

subtotal−25.5

Nutrition per 100 g

Salt 0.7 g / 100 g minus 3 points

Strong High in salt. [12]

subtotal−3

TOTAL 23Poor

100 − 77.5 = 22.5 → 23

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

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy	147 kcal
Fat	2.3 g
Saturated fat	0.7 g
Trans fat	0 g
Carbohydrates	28 g
Sugars	0.7 g
Added sugars	0.7 g
Fiber	0.7 g
Protein	3.3 g
Salt	0.7 g

Serving: 1 pouch (250 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.

Label text, as published

WATER, PARBOILED LONG GRAIN RICE, LESS THAN 2% OF: CANOLA OIL, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, SALT, MALTODEXTRIN, YEAST EXTRACT, COCONUT OIL, AUTOLYZED YEAST, CORN SYRUP*, SUGAR, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS (CONTAINS MILK), WHOLE MILK*, GARLIC*, TURMERIC (COLOR), VITAMINS AND MINERALS [CALCIUM (CALCIUM CARBONATE), IRON (IRON PHOSPHATE), VITAMIN B3 (NIACINAMIDE), VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE MONONITRATE), FOLIC ACID], WHEY*, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, MILK FAT, DRIED SKIM MILK, TURMERIC EXTRACT (COLOR), BUTTER OIL NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, *DRIED

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk

Not vegan
Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Sources

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
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
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
Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

“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
Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

doi.org
Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

doi.org
Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

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

Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

doi.org
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
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
Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives

European Food Safety Authority · Nov 10, 2017 · Agency assessment

“The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”

doi.org
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
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
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
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
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

Score

Why it scores 23

Better quinoa, couscous and other grains

Nutrition per 100 g

Ingredients

Allergens and diets

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Sources