Pastries
Entenmann's Banana muffins, banana
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- May contain traces of 1,4-dioxane
Why it scores 3
Entenmann's Banana muffins, banana scores 3 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 Molasses: 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 muffins
-
Banana Carrot Oat Muffin with Walnuts. Vegan Wegmans · 8 oz Less sugar · No gut-studied emulsifiers Score 53 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Veggies Made Great · 24 oz/1.5 lb/680 g Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 54 out of 100 , 51 points higher -
Banana Nut Muffin Kirkland Signature Kirkland Signature · 30 oz Less sugar · No gut-studied emulsifiers Score 33 out of 100 , 30 points higher -
Banana Nut Muffin Zen Bakery · 512 g Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 87 out of 100 , 84 points higher -
Banana muffin Smartmuf'n · 7.93 oz/225 g Less sugar · No added sugars Score 62 out of 100 , 59 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Banana muffins, banana
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Molasses minus 20 points
- Dextrose minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 36.2 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Saturated fat 3.2 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Salt 0.8 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Energy 383 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
100 − 97.5 = 2.5 → 3
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [7]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 383 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 14.9 g |
| Saturated fat | 3.2 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 55.3 g |
| Sugars | 36.2 g |
| Added sugars | 29.8 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 4.3 g |
| Salt | 0.8 g |
Serving: 1 POUCH (47 g)
Ingredients
- SUGAR (high concern)
- BANANA PUREE
- BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR
- VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN)
- EGGS
- MOLASSES (high concern)
- FOOD STARCH-MODIFIED (CORN)
- WHEY
- DEXTROSE (high concern)
- WATER
- NATURAL FLAVOR
- LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, BAKING SODA, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE) (not recognized)
- FRUCTOSE (high concern)
- MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES
- SALT
- POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE)
- SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE
- XANTHAN GUM
- SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE
- CELLULOSE GUM (moderate concern)
- WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE
- POLYSORBATE 60
- SOY LECITHIN
Label text, as published
SUGAR, BANANA PUREE, BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN), EGGS, MOLASSES, FOOD STARCH-MODIFIED (CORN), WHEY, DEXTROSE, WATER, NATURAL FLAVOR, LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, BAKING SODA, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), FRUCTOSE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, SALT, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE), SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, XANTHAN GUM, SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE, CELLULOSE GUM, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, POLYSORBATE 60, SOY LECITHIN
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Egg
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Sources
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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
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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
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Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
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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
-
“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
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“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
-
Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome
“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
-
“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
-
“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
-
“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
-
“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”
doi.org
-
1,4-Dioxane in Cosmetics: A Manufacturing Byproduct
“1,4-dioxane forms as a byproduct during the manufacturing process of certain cosmetic ingredients.”
fda.gov
-
Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)
monographs.iarc.who.int