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Ben's Original Ready Rice Cilantro Lime Flavored
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Rices

Ben's Original Ready Rice Cilantro Lime Flavored

8.5 oz

Okay out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
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Why it scores 45

Ben's Original Ready Rice Cilantro Lime Flavored scores 45 out of 100 (Okay) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers: Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial protein and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. Emerging

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 Cilantro Lime Flavored

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Canola oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [4][5][6][7]
  • Maltodextrin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Yeast extract
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • 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. [9][8]
  • Safflower oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [4][5][6][7]
  • Caseinate
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Mono- and diglycerides
    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]
subtotal−30.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial protein and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. [8]
subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 0.5 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some salt. [12]
subtotal−1
TOTAL 45Okay

100 − 55.5 = 44.5 → 45

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

GTIN 00054800423446 · 2026-09-20

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy168 kcal
Fat4.2 g
Saturated fat1.4 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates28.7 g
Sugars1.4 g
Added sugars1.4 g
Fiber0.7 g
Protein2.8 g
Salt0.5 g

Serving: 1 Pouch (240 g)

Ingredients

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

WATER, PARBOILED LONG GRAIN RICE, COCONUT CREAM, CANOLA OIL, CILANTRO, LESS THAN 2% OF: SUGAR, SALT, MALTODEXTRIN, COCONUT OIL, MILK, CITRIC ACID, GARLIC POWDER, YEAST EXTRACT, NATURAL LIME FLAVORS, SAFFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS (CONTAINS MILK), SODIUM CASEINATE, VITAMINS AND MINERALS [CALCIUM (CALCIUM CARBONATE), IRON (IRON PHOSPHATE), VITAMIN B3 (NIACINAMIDE), VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE MONONITRATE, FOLIC ACID], SPICES, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SPICES, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Tree nuts

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest rices in the US

More from Ben's Original

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. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

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

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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