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Great Value Light Butter Flavored Microwave Popcorn
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Salted popcorn

Great Value Light Butter Flavored Microwave Popcorn

18 Bags

Good out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains palm oil
  • Seed-oil free
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 61

Great Value Light Butter Flavored Microwave Popcorn scores 61 out of 100 (Good) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  2. Saturated fat 7.1 g / 100 g: Very high in saturated fat. Strong
  3. Salt 2.1 g / 100 g: Very high in salt. Strong

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

Better microwave popcorn and kernels

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

The Receipt

Light Butter Flavored Microwave Popcorn

START100

Ingredients

  • Palm oil
    Strong About half saturated fat; WHO recommends keeping saturated fat to 10% of energy or less. [1][2][3]
  • 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. [4][5]
  • Color added (not named)
    Info 21 CFR 101.22(k) requires certified color additives (FD&C dyes and their lakes) to be declared by name. [6][5]
subtotal−7.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [5]
  • 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added) and flavoring. [5]
subtotal−19.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Saturated fat 7.1 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in saturated fat. [1]
  • Salt 2.1 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [7]
  • Energy 393 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [8]
  • Fiber 7.1 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [8]
subtotal−12
TOTAL 61Good

100 − 39 = 61

Can’t score above 79. High in saturated fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [9]

GTIN 00194346002160 · 2023-09-16

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy393 kcal
Fat14.3 g
Saturated fat7.1 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates60.7 g
Sugars0 g
Fiber7.1 g
Protein7.1 g
Salt2.1 g

Serving: 1 Cup

Ingredients

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

Popcorn, Palm Oil, salt, natural flavors, rosemary extract, color added, ascorbic acid, butter

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk

May contain: Soy

  • Not vegan
  • Not palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Packaging

Paper, Composite material, Plastic

Context only: no points in v1.

Healthiest salted popcorn in the US

More from Great Value

Sources

  1. 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

  2. Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods

    European Food Safety Authority · May 3, 2016 · Agency assessment

    “The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  3. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food

    European Union (Official Journal) · Apr 25, 2023 · Law

    “Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  4. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  6. 21 CFR 101.22(k) Declaring color additives in the ingredient list

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

    “Color additives not subject to certification and not otherwise required by applicable regulations in part 73 of this chapter to be declared by their respective common or usual names may be declared as “Artificial Color,” “Artificial Color Added,” or “Color Added””

    ecfr.gov

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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