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Cakes

Country Kitchen Seasonal fine donuts

12 oz/340.5 g

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Not permitted in some countries
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
  • Contains artificial flavors
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Why it scores 7

Country Kitchen Seasonal fine donuts scores 7 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Partially hydrogenated oil: Industrial trans fat raises LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk. Regulatory
  2. Dextrose: 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 donuts

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

The Receipt

Seasonal fine donuts

START100

Ingredients

  • Partially hydrogenated oil
    Regulatory Industrial trans fat raises LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk. [1][2][3][4]
  • Dextrose
    Strong An added sugar. [5][6][7]
  • Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose)
    Strong In a small randomized feeding trial, carboxymethylcellulose modestly increased abdominal discomfort and reduced gut microbiota diversity; in mice it promoted low-grade inflammation. [8][9][10][11]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [12]
  • 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavoring, industrial fat, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [12]
subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 22.8 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [5]
  • Saturated fat 2.6 g / 100 g
    Strong High in saturated fat. [13]
  • Salt 0.9 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [14]
  • Energy 368 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [6]
subtotal−19
TOTAL 7Bad

100 − 93 = 7

Can’t score above 25. Contains partially hydrogenated oil, whose use in food has been revoked in the US. [2][15]

Can’t score above 49. Contains partially hydrogenated oil, an ingredient of very high concern. [1][2][3][4]

Can’t score above 79. Contains dextrose, an ingredient of high concern. [5][6][7]

Can’t score above 79. High in sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [16]

GTIN 00073402356006 · 2021-10-28

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy368 kcal
Fat12.3 g
Saturated fat2.6 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates61.4 g
Sugars22.8 g
Fiber1.8 g
Protein7 g
Salt0.9 g

Serving: 1 DONUT (57 g)

Ingredients

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

ENRICHED, MALTED WHEAT FLOUR (MALTED WITH BARLEY MALT; ENRICHED WITH NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, SUGAR, VEGETABLE SHORTENING (CANOLA OIL, PALM OIL AND PALM KERNEL OIL), GELATINIZED WHEAT STARCH, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS: SOYBEAN OIL, DEXTROSE, SOY FLOUR, NON-FAT MILK POWDER, DRIED EGG YOLKS, SALT, CORN FLOUR, LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, BAKING SODA, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM SULFATE), VEGETABLE EMULSIFIER (MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES WITH BHT AND CITRIC ACID TO HELP PROTECT FLAVOR), PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE SHORTENING (SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED OIL), SODIUM PROPIONATE (TO RETARD SPOILAGE), SOYBEAN LECITHIN, SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE GUM, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy, Egg

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest cakes in the US

More from Country Kitchen

Sources

  1. Trans Fat

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Apr 30, 2024 · Regulator

    “In 2015, the FDA took the significant step of determining that PHOs, then the major source of artificial trans fat in the food supply, are no longer “Generally Recognized as Safe,” or GRAS.”

    fda.gov

  2. Revocation of Uses of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in Foods (88 FR 53764)

    Federal Register (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) · Aug 9, 2023 · Law

    “in light of our determination that PHOs are no longer generally recognized as safe (GRAS).”

    federalregister.gov

  3. Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/649 of 24 April 2019 amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 as regards trans fat, other than trans fat naturally occurring in fat of animal origin

    European Union (Official Journal) · Apr 24, 2019 · Law

    “Maximum 2 grams per 100 grams of fat in food intended for the final consumer and food intended for supply to retail”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  4. Trans fat (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · Jan 24, 2024 · Agency assessment

    “WHO’s recommendation for adults is to limit consumption of trans fat to less than 1% of total energy intake, which is less than 2.2 g per day for a 2000-calorie diet.”

    who.int

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Jan 16, 2018 · Agency assessment

    “The Panel concluded that there was no need for a numerical ADI and that there would be no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels for the unmodified and modified celluloses”

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. Notice of Modification: Prohibiting the Use of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in Foods

    Health Canada · Sep 17, 2018 · Regulator

    “On September 17, 2018, partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) were banned by adding them to Part 1 of the List of Contaminants and other Adulterating Substances in Foods.”

    canada.ca

  16. 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

  17. Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/63 of 14 January 2022 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 as regards the food additive titanium dioxide (E 171)

    European Union (Official Journal) · Jan 14, 2022 · Law

    “titanium dioxide (E 171) can no longer be considered safe when used as a food additive.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  18. Revocation of Authorization for Use of Brominated Vegetable Oil in Food (89 FR 55040)

    Federal Register (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) · Jul 3, 2024 · Law

    “This action is being taken because there is no longer a reasonable certainty of no harm from the continued use of BVO in food.”

    federalregister.gov

  19. Color Additive Petition From Center for Science in the Public Interest, et al.; Request To Revoke Color Additive Listing for Use of FD&C Red No. 3 in Food and Ingested Drugs (90 FR 4628)

    Federal Register (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) · Jan 16, 2025 · Law

    “This order is effective January 15, 2027, except for amendatory instruction 4, which is effective January 18, 2028.”

    federalregister.gov

  20. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products

    European Union (Official Journal) · Nov 30, 2009 · Law

    “cosmetic products shall not contain any of the following: (a) prohibited substances — prohibited substances listed in Annex II”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. 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

  24. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  25. 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