Candy chocolate bars
Kirkland Signature Caramel S'Mores Clusters
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- High in saturated fat
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- Contains artificial flavors
- Contains whole grains
Why it scores 0
Kirkland Signature Caramel S'Mores Clusters scores 0 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 Lactose: 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 chocolate candy
-
Caramel Almond Clusters Atkins · 0.92 oz Less sugar · No added sugars Score 40 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Pecan Caramel Clusters Atkins · 4.94 oz/140 g Less sugar · No added sugars Score 40 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Style Liliys · 2.8 oz/80 g Less sugar · No added sugars Score 48 out of 100 , 48 points higher -
Caramel Nougat Nelly's Organics Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 40 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Individually packed dark and milk chocolate bars - plain and with honey almond nougat, caramel sea salt, hazelnut and almond sea salt Tony's Chocolonely · 10.16 oz (288 g) No gut-studied emulsifiers · No seed oils Score 46 out of 100 , 46 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Caramel S'Mores Clusters
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Lactose minus 20 points
- Caramel minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 52.3 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Saturated fat 10.2 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Salt 0.3 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Energy 455 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
100 − 101.5 = -1.5 → 0
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat, saturated fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [7]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 455 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 18.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 10.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 68.2 g |
| Sugars | 52.3 g |
| Fiber | 2.3 g |
| Protein | 2.3 g |
| Salt | 0.3 g |
Serving: 2 pieces (44 g)
Ingredients
- milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, nonfat dry milk, milkfat, lactose, soy lecithin, vanillin, salt) (moderate concern)
- caramel (invert sugar, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, butter, brown sugar, coconut oil, glycerin, soy lecithin, salt, vanilla extract) (high concern)
- grahams (whole grain wheat, sugar, corn meal, canola oil, molasses, fructose, salt, honey, baking soda, calcium carbonate, soy lecithin, dextrose, trisodium phosphate, rosemary extract [antioxidant], natural flavor) (not recognized)
- marshmallow (tapioca syrup, cane sugar, filtered water, tapioca starch, carrageenan, soy protein, natural vanilla flavor) (not recognized)
Label text, as published
milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, nonfat dry milk, milkfat, lactose, soy lecithin, vanillin, salt), caramel (invert sugar, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, butter (cream, salt), brown sugar (sugar, invert sugar, cane molasses), coconut oil, glycerin, soy lecithin, salt, vanilla extract), grahams (whole grain wheat, sugar, corn meal, canola oil, molasses, fructose, salt, honey, baking soda, calcium carbonate, soy lecithin, dextrose, trisodium phosphate, rosemary extract [antioxidant], natural flavor), marshmallow (tapioca syrup, cane sugar, filtered water, tapioca starch, carrageenan, soy protein, natural vanilla flavor).
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More candy chocolate bars on GoodSwap
-
High Protein Baked Bar Chocolate Peanut Butter Robert Irvine's Fit Crunch · 50 g Ultra-processedHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsContains sugar alcohols Score 16 out of 100 Bad -
Snickers Snickers · 1.86 oz Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 5 out of 100 Bad -
Dark Chocolate Bar with Almonds Trader Joe's · 3.51 oz (100 g) High in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsCertified organic Score 46 out of 100 Okay -
77% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar Trader Joe's · 500 g Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 40 out of 100 Okay -
think! HIGH PROTEIN PROTEIN BAR Think! · 60gr Ultra-processedContains sugar alcoholsContains seed oils Score 57 out of 100 Okay -
Dark Chocolate Choceur · 150 g Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 30 out of 100 Poor
More from Kirkland Signature
-
Unsalted Mixed Nuts Kirkland Signature · 1.13 kg Score 100 out of 100 Excellent -
Purified Drinking Water Kirkland Signature · 500 mL Score 100 out of 100 Excellent -
Organic Chicken Sipping Bone Broth Kirkland Signature · 192 fl oz Score 83 out of 100 Excellent -
Organic Tomato Sauce Kirkland Signature · 425 g 5 oz Score 91 out of 100 Excellent
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
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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
-
“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
-
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