Cookies
McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate Flavor coating
10.5 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains palm oil
- Seed-oil free
- Contains whole grains
Why it scores 1
McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate Flavor coating scores 1 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 Corn 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 cookies
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Mexican Chocolate Cookies Siete · 4.5 oz/127.6 g Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 48 out of 100 , 47 points higher -
Fudge Brownie Chocolate Chip cookies Voortman Bakery · 225 g Less sugar · No sugar Score 44 out of 100 , 43 points higher -
Chocolate Peanut Cookie think! DELIGHT · 1.2 oz/34 g Less sugar · No added sugars Score 46 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Sweet Thins Chocolate Brownie Simple Mills · 120 g Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 49 out of 100 , 48 points higher -
Sweet Thins Mint Chocolate Sweet thins mint chocolate · 4.25 oz Not ultra-processed · No palm oil Score 51 out of 100 , 50 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Digestives Milk Chocolate Flavor coating
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Corn syrup minus 20 points
- Chocolate (sweetened, ingredient) minus 7.5 points
- Vegetable shortening minus 1.5 points
- Palm oil minus 1 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 4.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 29.4 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Saturated fat 11.8 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Salt 1 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Energy 529 kcal / 100 g minus 3 points
- Fiber 5.9 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 99.5 = 0.5 → 1
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [9]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 529 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 23.5 g |
| Saturated fat | 11.8 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 64.7 g |
| Sugars | 29.4 g |
| Added sugars | 21.2 g |
| Fiber | 5.9 g |
| Protein | 5.9 g |
| Salt | 1 g |
Serving: 2 cookies (33 g)
Ingredients
- WHEAT FLOUR
- COMPOUND COATING (SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER, CHOCOLATE, SKIM MILK, WHEY, BUTTEROIL, VEGETABLE SHORTENING, SOY LECITHIN, POLYGLYCEROL POLYRICINOLEATE, NATURAL FLAVOR) (moderate concern)
- PALM OIL
- WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
- SUGAR (high concern)
- GLUCOSE SYRUP (high concern)
- TARTARIC ACID
- MALIC ACID
- LEAVENING (SODIUM BICARBONATE, AMMONIUM BICARBONATE) (not recognized)
- SALT
- CALCIUM CARBONATE
- CALCIUM SULFATE
- REDUCED IRON
- NICOTINAMIDE
- THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE
Label text, as published
WHEAT FLOUR, COMPOUND COATING (SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER, CHOCOLATE, SKIM MILK, WHEY, BUTTEROIL, VEGETABLE SHORTENING [CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: SHEA OIL, ILLIPE OIL, SAL OIL, PALM OIL, MANGO KERNEL OIL, KOKUM OIL], SOY LECITHIN, POLYGLYCEROL POLYRICINOLEATE, NATURAL FLAVOR.), PALM OIL, WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, SUGAR, GLUCOSE SYRUP, TARTARIC ACID, MALIC ACID, LEAVENING (SODIUM BICARBONATE, AMMONIUM BICARBONATE), SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CALCIUM SULFATE, REDUCED IRON, NICOTINAMIDE, THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
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belVita Crunchy Blueberry Breakfast Biscuits Belvita · 1.76 oz Ultra-processedHigh in sugarContains added sugarsContains emulsifiers studied for gut effects Score 15 out of 100 Bad -
Bagel Chips New York Style · 6 oz High in saltContains added sugarsContains seed oilsContains whole grains Score 73 out of 100 Good -
Organic Letter Of The Day Cookies Very Vanilla Earth's Best · 5.3 oz/150 g Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 11 out of 100 Bad -
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More from McVitie's
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
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods
“The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.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