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Hidden Valley Ranch Fat Free Condiment & Dressing
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Salad dressings

Hidden Valley Ranch Fat Free Condiment & Dressing

473 mL

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 10

Hidden Valley Ranch Fat Free Condiment & Dressing scores 10 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Sugar: 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 ranch dressing

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

The Receipt

Ranch Fat Free Condiment & Dressing

START100

Ingredients

  • Corn syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Sodium benzoate
    Strong Benzoates can form small amounts of benzene in drinks that also contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), especially with heat or light. [4][5][6]
  • Maltodextrin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [7]
  • Modified starch
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [7]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [7]
  • 8 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, modified starch, sequestrant and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [7]
subtotal−26

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 10 g / 100 g
    Strong High in sugar. [1]
  • Salt 2.7 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [8]
subtotal−14
TOTAL 10Bad

100 − 90 = 10

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

Can’t score above 79. High in salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [9]

GTIN 00071100007077 · 2026-03-18

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy100 kcal
Fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates20 g
Sugars10 g
Added sugars3.3 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt2.7 g

Serving: 1 portion (30 ml)

Ingredients

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

WATER, BUTTERMILK*, CORN SYRUP, MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, SALT, LESS THAN 2% OF: SPICES, ONION, GARLIC, SOUR CREAM (CREAM, NONFAT MILK, CULTURES)*, NATURAL FLAVORS, EGG YOLK*, SOY LECITHIN*, MONOGLYCERIDES*, ARTIFICIAL COLOR, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, LACTIC ACID, PHOSPHORIC ACID, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, WITH POTASSIUM SORBATE, SODIUM BENZOATE, DL-ALPHATOCOPHEROL AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA ADDED TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS, ONION+, GARLIC+, VINEGAR, XANTHAN GUM, NONFAT MILK.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy, Egg

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Packaging

Plastic

Context only: no points in v1.

Healthiest salad dressings in the US

More from Hidden Valley

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. Benzene production from decarboxylation of benzoic acid in the presence of ascorbic acid and a transition-metal catalyst

    Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry · May 1993 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  5. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

    The Lancet · November 2007 · Peer-reviewed

    “Artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.”

    doi.org

  6. Re-evaluation of benzyl alcohol (E 1519) as food additive (records the 2016 benzoate re-evaluation)

    European Food Safety Authority · Oct 30, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “derived a group ADI of 5 mg/kg bw per day (expressed as benzoic acid) in accordance with the ADI previously derived by SCF and JECFA”

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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