Frozen desserts
Unilever Heath frozen ice cream bars
24 fl oz/708 mL
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
- Contains artificial flavors
Why it scores 5
Unilever Heath frozen ice cream bars scores 5 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 Corn syrup solids: 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.
The Receipt
Heath frozen ice cream bars
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Corn syrup solids minus 20 points
- Corn syrup minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 6 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 24.7 g / 100 g minus 11 points
- Saturated fat 13.7 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Energy 301 kcal / 100 g minus 1 points
100 − 95 = 5
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][6][7][8][9]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [10]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 301 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 17.8 g |
| Saturated fat | 13.7 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 34.3 g |
| Sugars | 24.7 g |
| Added sugars | 19.2 g |
| Fiber | 1.4 g |
| Protein | 2.7 g |
| Salt | 0.2 g |
Serving: 1 bar (73 g)
Ingredients
- NONFAT MILK
- MILK CHOCOLATE FLAVORED COATING (SUGAR, COCONUT OIL, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), MILK, WHEY, SOYBEAN OIL, COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SOY LECITHIN, SALT) (moderate concern)
- HEATH TOFFEE PIECES (SUGAR, VEGETABLE OIL, BUTTER, ALMONDS, SALT, SOY LECITHIN, CHOCOLATE) (not recognized)
- CORN SYRUP SOLIDS (high concern)
- CORN SYRUP (high concern)
- FRUCTOSE (high concern)
- COCONUT OIL
- WHEY
- MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES
- LOCUST BEAN GUM
- GUAR GUM
- NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR
- ANNATTO EXTRACT (FOR COLOR)
- CARAMEL COLOR (high concern)
Label text, as published
NONFAT MILK, MILK CHOCOLATE FLAVORED COATING [SUGAR, COCONUT OIL, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), MILK, WHEY, SOYBEAN OIL, COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SOY LECITHIN, SALT], HEATH TOFFEE PIECES [SUGAR, VEGETABLE OIL (PALM OIL, SUNFLOWER OIL), BUTTER (CREAM, SALT), ALMONDS, LESS THAN 2% OF: SALT, SOY LECITHIN, CHOCOLATE], CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, CORN SYRUP, FRUCTOSE, COCONUT OIL, LESS THAN 2% OF: WHEY, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, LOCUST BEAN GUM, GUAR GUM, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, ANNATTO EXTRACT (FOR COLOR), CARAMEL COLOR.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Tree nuts, Soy
- Not vegan
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Sources
-
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
-
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
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
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
-
Questions & Answers About 4-MEI
“Based on current science, the FDA has no reason to believe that there are any immediate or short-term health risks presented by 4-MEI at the levels expected in food.”
fda.gov
-
Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)
monographs.iarc.who.int
-
Proposition 65 List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity
“The date refers to the initial appearance of the chemical on the list.”
oehha.ca.gov
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
-
“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
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu