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Food

Brownberry Thins

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Seed-oil free
  • Contains whole grains
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Why it scores 38

Brownberry Thins scores 38 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose): In a small randomized feeding trial, carboxymethylcellulose modestly increased abdominal discomfort and reduced gut microbiota diversity; in mice it promoted low-grade inflammation. Strong

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

Better sliced bread

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

The Receipt

Thins

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • 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. [4][5][6][7]
  • Wheat gluten
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Calcium propionate
    Regulatory Health Canada permits it only in listed foods, up to set limits (2,000 ppm in bread, as propionic acid). [9]
  • Sorbic acid
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI of 11 mg/kg body weight per day for sorbic acid and potassium sorbate. [10]
  • Natural flavors
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [11][8]
  • Mono- and diglycerides
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher intakes of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471 and E472) were associated with higher cardiovascular risk; cause and effect is not established. [6][12][8]
  • Calcium phosphate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus) and noted that infants, toddlers and children may exceed it. [13]
  • DATEM
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Xanthan gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Soy lecithin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Powdered cellulose
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
subtotal−37.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: anti-caking agent, emulsifier, flavoring, industrial protein and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [8]
subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 7 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some sugar. [1]
  • Salt 0.9 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [14]
  • Energy 256 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Fiber 7 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
  • Protein 9.3 g / 100 g
    Info A good source of protein. [2]
subtotal−1
TOTAL 38Poor

100 − 62.5 = 37.5 → 38

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

GTIN 00073408000095 · 2025-03-14

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy256 kcal
Fat4.7 g
Carbohydrates48.8 g
Sugars7 g
Fiber7 g
Protein9.3 g
Salt0.9 g

Serving: 1 slice (43 g)

Ingredients

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

whole wheat flour, water, enriched wheat flour [flour, malted barley flour, reduced iron, niacin, thiamin mononitrate riboflavin (vitamin b2), folic acid], yeast, cauliflower, bulgur wheat, wheat gluten, sugar, sea salt, olive oil, preservatives (calcium propionate, sorbic acid), grain vinegar, spices, natural flavor, monoglycerides, leavening pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), datem, citric acid, dehydrated garlic, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, soy lecithin. (vitami̇n b1), cellulose fiber, (sodium baking soda, acid r20-169

Allergens and diets

Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten

  • Not gluten-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

More from Brownberry

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. 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

  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. 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

  7. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. 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

  10. Opinion on the follow-up of the re-evaluation of sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Mar 1, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “By applying a default uncertainty factor of 100, the Panel established a group ADI expressed as 11 mg sorbic acid/kg bw per day for sorbic acid (E 200) and its potassium salt (E 202).”

    doi.org

  11. 21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

    ecfr.gov

  12. Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Nov 10, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”

    doi.org

  13. EFSA issues new advice on phosphates

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 12, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  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. 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

  16. 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