Barbecue sauces
Stubb's Smokey Mesquite Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce
510 g
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
Why it scores 8
Stubb's Smokey Mesquite Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce scores 8 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 Molasses: 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 barbecue sauce
-
Bar-B-Q Sauce Williamson Bros · 16 fl oz/473 mL Not ultra-processed · No molasses Score 57 out of 100 , 49 points higher -
Smokey bbq Bragg · 3.0 oz/85 g Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 79 out of 100 , 71 points higher -
Japanese Barbecue Sauce Bachan's · 34 oz Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 69 out of 100 , 61 points higher -
BBQ Sauce Kinder's Not ultra-processed · No sugar Score 58 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Roasted Garlic Japanese Barbecue Sauce Bachan's · 17 oz Not ultra-processed · No molasses Score 47 out of 100 , 39 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Smokey Mesquite Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Molasses minus 20 points
- Brown sugar minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 1.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 28.6 g / 100 g minus 14 points
- Salt 2.8 g / 100 g minus 9 points
100 − 92.5 = 7.5 → 8
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in sugars and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [6]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 143 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 0 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31.4 g |
| Sugars | 28.6 g |
| Added sugars | 25.7 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Salt | 2.8 g |
Serving: 2 Tbsp (35 g)
Ingredients
- TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE)
- SUGAR (high concern)
- MOLASSES (high concern)
- BROWN SUGAR (high concern)
- DISTILLED VINEGAR
- SALT
- ORGANIC HONEY (high concern)
- NATURAL FLAVOR (INCLUDING MESQUITE SMOKE)
- CORN STARCH
- SPICES
- ONION
- GUAR GUM (THICKENER)
- XANTHAN GUM (THICKENER)
- GARLIC
Label text, as published
TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), SUGAR, MOLASSES, BROWN SUGAR, DISTILLED VINEGAR, SALT, ORGANIC HONEY, NATURAL FLAVOR (INCLUDING MESQUITE SMOKE), CORN STARCH, SPICES, CONTAINS LESS THAN 0.5% OF: ONION, GUAR GUM (THICKENER), XANTHAN GUM (THICKENER), GARLIC.
Allergens and diets
- Not vegan
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Packaging
Glass
Context only: no points in v1.
More barbecue sauces on GoodSwap
-
Barbecue Sauce Sweet Baby Ray's · 18 oz Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saltContains added sugars Score 6 out of 100 Bad -
Barbecue Sauce Sweet Baby Ray's · 37 g Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saltContains added sugars Score 6 out of 100 Bad -
Liquid smoke mesquite flavor Colgin · 4 fl oz/118 mL Ultra-processedContains added sugarsNo synthetic dyes Score 38 out of 100 Poor -
Korean bbq sauce Bibigo · 16.9 oz Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saltContains added sugars Score 5 out of 100 Bad -
Hickory Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce Burman's Ultra-processedHigh in sugarHigh in saltContains added sugars Score 6 out of 100 Bad
More from Stubb's
-
Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce Stubb's · 18 oz Score 16 out of 100 Bad -
Sticky Sweet BBQ Sauce Stubb's · 18 oz (510 g) Score 12 out of 100 Bad -
Sweet Heat Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce Stubb's · 18 oz Score 13 out of 100 Bad -
Hickory bourbon legendary bar-b-q sauce, hickory bourbon Stubb's · 510 g (18 oz) Score 16 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
-
“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