Aunt Millie's English Muffins
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Breads

Aunt Millie's English Muffins

12 oz/340 g

Score

Okay 46 out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils

Why it scores 46

Aunt Millie's English Muffins scores 46 out of 100 (Okay) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. minus 3 points 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers: Industrial additive classes found: anti-caking agent, emulsifier and industrial protein. Emerging

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

The Receipt

English Muffins

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar minus 20 points
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Calcium propionate minus 2.5 points
    Regulatory Health Canada permits it only in listed foods, up to set limits (2,000 ppm in bread, as propionic acid). [4]
  • DATEM minus 2.5 points
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [5]
  • Calcium silicate minus 1.5 points
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [5]
  • Soybean oil minus 1.5 points
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [6][7][8][9]
  • Wheat gluten minus 1.5 points
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [5]
subtotal−29.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [5]
  • 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 3 points
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: anti-caking agent, emulsifier and industrial protein. [5]
subtotal−21

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Salt 1.1 g / 100 g minus 3 points
    Strong High in salt. [10]
  • Energy 228 kcal / 100 g minus 1 points
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−4

TOTAL 46Okay

100 − 54.5 = 45.5 → 46

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


GTIN 00071314007153 · 2026-02-26

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy228 kcal
Fat1.8 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates43.9 g
Sugars1.8 g
Added sugars1.8 g
Fiber1.8 g
Protein7 g
Salt1.1 g

Serving: 1 MUFFIN (57 g)

Ingredients

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

ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, YEAST, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF: ASCORBIC ACID, CALCIUM PROPIONATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVES), FUMARIC ACID, YELLOW CORN FLOUR, YELLOW CORNMEAL, DATEM, CALCIUM SILICATE, ENZYMES, SALT, SOYBEAN OIL, SUGAR, CITRIC ACID, WHEAT GLUTEN, VINEGAR.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Not gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

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. 11. List of Permitted Preservatives (Lists of Permitted Food Additives)

    Health Canada · Oct 20, 2025 · Regulator

    “B.2 Butylated Hydroxyanisole n/a (a) Active dry yeasts (a) Preservative (a) 1,000 ppm n/a”

    canada.ca

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  6. 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

  7. 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

  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. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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