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White Castle Microwavable hamburgers
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Frozen meats

White Castle Microwavable hamburgers

9.5 oz/269 g

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains seed oils
  • Contains whole grains
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Why it scores 24

White Castle Microwavable hamburgers scores 24 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Corn syrup solids: 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

Microwavable hamburgers

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Corn syrup solids
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Soybean oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [4][5][6][7]
  • Wheat gluten
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [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. [9][10][8]
  • Calcium stearoyl lactylate
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Guar gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Sodium alginate
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [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. [11]
  • Xanthan gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
subtotal−49

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, industrial protein, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [8]
subtotal−22.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Saturated fat 5.6 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some saturated fat. Counted at half for this whole-food category. [12]
  • Salt 1.1 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [13]
  • Energy 322 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. Counted at half for this whole-food category. [2]
  • Protein 14.4 g / 100 g
    Info A good source of protein. [2]
subtotal−4.5
TOTAL 24Poor

100 − 76 = 24

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

Can’t score above 79. High in saturated fat (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]

GTIN 00082988000067 · 2026-06-15

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy322 kcal
Fat14.4 g
Saturated fat5.6 g
Trans fat1.1 g
Carbohydrates32.2 g
Sugars3.3 g
Added sugars2.2 g
Fiber1.1 g
Protein14.4 g
Salt1.1 g

Serving: 1 PACKAGE / 2 SANDWICHES (90 g)

Ingredients

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

BUN: ENRICHED BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS: YEAST, SALT, VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, MONO-AND DIGLYCERIDES, CORN STARCH, CALCIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE (CSL), OAT FIBER, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, GUAR GUM, SODIUM ALGINATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, ENZYMES, XANTHAN GUM, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), HAMBURGER: BEEF, WATER, DRIED ONIONS, SALT, PEPPER.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian
  • Not gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest frozen meats in the US

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. 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

  5. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

    BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  6. 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

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

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  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

  17. 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

  18. 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