Breads
Olive Garden Signature Recipe Croutons Garlic & Romano
5 oz/141 g
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 21
Olive Garden Signature Recipe Croutons Garlic & Romano scores 21 out of 100 (Poor) 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.
Better bread crumbs and croutons
-
Super Garlic Crostini Semifreddi’s · 14 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 79 out of 100 , 58 points higher -
Texas Toast Garlic & Butter Flavored Croutons New York Bakery · 5 oz (142 g) No added sugars · No sugar Score 67 out of 100 , 46 points higher -
Garlic & Butter Flavored Traditional Cut Baked Croutons Chatham Village · 5 oz No added sugars · No sugar Score 67 out of 100 , 46 points higher -
Texas Toast Cheese & Garlic Croutons New York Bakery · 5 oz No added sugars · No sugar Score 65 out of 100 , 44 points higher -
Signature select, panko bread crumbs Signature · 8 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 71 out of 100 , 50 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Signature Recipe Croutons Garlic & Romano
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Corn syrup solids minus 20 points
- Sunflower oil minus 2.5 points
- Canola oil minus 1.5 points
- Maltodextrin minus 1.5 points
- Yeast extract minus 1.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 4.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Salt 2.7 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Energy 429 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Protein 14.3 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 79 = 21
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [11]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 429 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 14.3 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 71.4 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 14.3 g |
| Salt | 2.7 g |
Serving: 2 Tbsp (7 g)
Ingredients
- BREAD (ENRICHED FLOUR, YEAST, SUGAR, SALT, SUNFLOWER OIL, ENZYMES)
- CANOLA
- SUNFLOWER OIL (WITH ROSEMARY EXTRACT AND ASCORBIC ACID [TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS])
- SEASONING (WHEY POWDER, SALT, MALTODEXTRIN, GARLIC POWDER, DEHYDRATED PARSLEY, YEAST EXTRACT, ROMANO CHEESE SOLIDS FROM COW'S MILK, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, CULTURED NONFAT MILK, NATURAL FLAVORS, PAPRIKA [COLOR], SUGAR, EXTRACTIVE OF PAPRIKA [COLOR])
Label text, as published
BREAD (ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], YEAST, SUGAR, SALT, SUNFLOWER OIL, ENZYMES), CANOLA AND/OR SUNFLOWER OIL (WITH ROSEMARY EXTRACT AND ASCORBIC ACID [TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS]), SEASONING (WHEY POWDER, SALT, MALTODEXTRIN, GARLIC POWDER, DEHYDRATED PARSLEY, YEAST EXTRACT, ROMANO CHEESE SOLIDS FROM COW'S MILK [PART SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, CULTURED NONFAT MILK, NATURAL FLAVORS, PAPRIKA [COLOR], SUGAR, EXTRACTIVE OF PAPRIKA [COLOR]).
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More breads on GoodSwap
-
Organic Bread Good Seed Dave's Killer Bread · 27 oz Ultra-processedContains added sugarsCertified organicContains whole grains Score 42 out of 100 Okay -
Sourdough Bread The Rustik Oven · 1 lb/454 g Ultra-processedSeed-oil free Score 73 out of 100 Good -
Delightful Bread Sara Lee · 567 g Ultra-processedContains non-nutritive sweetenersContains added sugarsContains emulsifiers studied for gut effects Score 23 out of 100 Poor -
100% Whole Wheat Bread L'oven Fresh · 20 oz Ultra-processedContains added sugarsContains emulsifiers studied for gut effectsContains seed oils Score 30 out of 100 Poor -
Grains almighty plant protein bread Oroweat Ultra-processedContains added sugarsContains seed oilsContains whole grains Score 29 out of 100 Poor -
Whole Grains Healthy Multi-Grain Bread Brownberry · 680 g Ultra-processedContains non-nutritive sweetenersContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 47 out of 100 Okay
More from Olive Garden
-
Signature Italian Dressing Olive Garden · 16 fl oz/473 mL Score 8 out of 100 Bad -
Parmesan Ranch Dressing & Dip Olive Garden · 16 fl oz Score 30 out of 100 Poor -
Signature Italian Dressing Olive Garden · 24 fl oz (1.5 pint) 709 mL Score 14 out of 100 Bad -
Light Italian Dressing Olive Garden · 16 fl oz/473 mL Score 15 out of 100 Bad
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
-
“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
-
21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives
“whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
ecfr.gov
-
“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
-
“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