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Bolthouse Farms Protein Plus with Almond Butter Banana Honey
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Beverages

Bolthouse Farms Protein Plus with Almond Butter Banana Honey

Bad out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
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Why it scores 5

Bolthouse Farms Protein Plus with Almond Butter Banana Honey scores 5 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Honey: 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.

The Receipt

Protein Plus with Almond Butter Banana Honey

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Honey
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Carrageenan
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher carrageenan intake was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes; cause and effect is not established. [4][5][6][7]
  • Whey protein concentrate / isolate
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Soy protein isolate / concentrate
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: flavoring, industrial protein and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [8]
subtotal−21

Nutrition per 100 ml

  • Sugars 44 g / 100 ml
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 2.5 g / 100 ml
    Strong High in saturated fat. [9]
  • Salt 0.7 g / 100 ml
    Strong High in salt. [10]
  • Energy 400 kcal / 100 ml
    Info Energy-dense for its volume. [2]
subtotal−24
TOTAL 5Bad

100 − 95 = 5

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

Can’t score above 79. High in fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [11]

GTIN 00071464018931 · 2026-07-30

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 ml

Energy400 kcal
Fat10 g
Saturated fat2.5 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates50 g
Sugars44 g
Added sugars4.4 g
Fiber2 g
Protein30 g
Salt0.7 g

Serving: 1 container (450 ml)

Ingredients

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

Water,2% Reduced Fat Milk, Cane Sugar, Whey Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Isolate, Banana Puree, Honey, Almond Butter, Contains 1% or Less: Natural Flavors, Dipotassium Phosphate, Acacia Gum, Vitamin C ( Ascorbic Acid), Gellan Gum, Sea Salt, Carrageenan, Vitamin A ( Palmitate), Vitamin B1 ( Thiamin Mononitrate), Vitamin B2 ( Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 ( Niacinamide), Vitamin B5 ( Calcium D- Pantothenate), Vitamin B6 ( Pyridoxine H Cl), Vitamin B7 ( Biotin), Vitamin B9 ( Folic Acid), Vitamin B12 ( Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin D3 Cholecalciferol), Vitamin E (D- Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Calcium ( Tricalcium Phosphate), Phosphorus ( Tricalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate), Magnesium ( Magnesium Phosphate), Chromium ( Chromium Chloride), Iodine ( Potassium Iodide), Iron ( Ferric Orthophosphate), Zinc ( Zinc Oxide), Copper ( Copper Gluconate).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Tree nuts, Soy

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

More from Bolthouse Farms

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. Food additive emulsifiers and the risk of type 2 diabetes: analysis of data from the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study

    The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology · May 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “We found direct associations between the risk of type 2 diabetes and exposures to various food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods, in a large prospective cohort of French adults.”

    doi.org

  5. 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

  6. Re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Apr 26, 2018 · Agency assessment

    “However, the Panel noted uncertainties as regards the chemistry, the exposure assessment and biological and toxicological data.”

    doi.org

  7. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline

    World Health Organization · Jul 17, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”

    who.int

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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