Food
Bibigo Mandu Bulgogi Chicken Dumplings
24 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- Contains whole grains
Why it scores 36
Bibigo Mandu Bulgogi Chicken Dumplings scores 36 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
- minus 7.5 points Carrageenan: In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher carrageenan intake was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes; cause and effect is not established. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better dumplings and potstickers
-
Sticky White Rice Medium Grain Rice Bibigo · 210 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 92 out of 100 , 56 points higher -
Cooked Sticky White Rice Bibigo · e Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 100 out of 100 , 64 points higher -
Chicken Gyoza Potstickers Dark Chicken Meat & Vegetable Dumplings Trader Joe's · 454 g Not ultra-processed · No gut-studied emulsifiers Score 66 out of 100 , 30 points higher -
Duru Duru All Purpose Vegetable Pork Dumplings Beksul · 25 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 81 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Pork Potstickers Tai Pei Not ultra-processed · No gut-studied emulsifiers Score 79 out of 100 , 43 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Mandu Bulgogi Chicken Dumplings
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Carrageenan minus 7.5 points
- Yeast extract minus 2.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 1.5 points
- Dextrin minus 1.5 points
- Silicon dioxide minus 1.5 points
- Modified starch minus 0.5 points
- Wheat gluten minus 0.5 points
- Soybean oil minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Salt 1.1 g / 100 g minus 3 points
100 − 64.5 = 35.5 → 36
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 150 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 3.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.7 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22.9 g |
| Sugars | 3.6 g |
| Added sugars | 2.9 g |
| Fiber | 2.1 g |
| Protein | 7.9 g |
| Salt | 1.1 g |
Serving: 4 pieces (140 g)
Ingredients
- FILLING: CHICKEN
- CABBAGE
- BEAN THREAD (WATER, SWEET POTATO STARCH, CARRAGEENAN, SALT) (not recognized)
- GREEN ONION
- CARROT
- ONION
- SUGAR (high concern)
- SOY SAUCE (WATER, SOYBEANS, WHEAT, SALT)
- GARLIC
- OAT FIBER
- SESAME OIL
- AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT
- SALT
- GRILL FLAVOR (TAPIOCA DEXTRIN, SALT, GRILL FLAVOR [FROM SUNFLOWER OIL], SMOKE FLAVOR, SILICON DIOXIDE)
- BLACK PEPPER
- DOUGH: ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID)
- WATER
- MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCH
- WHEAT GLUTEN
- SOYBEAN OIL
- SALT
Label text, as published
FILLING: CHICKEN, CABBAGE, BEAN THREAD (WATER, SWEET POTATO STARCH, CARRAGEENAN, SALT), GREEN ONION, CARROT, ONION, SUGAR, SOY SAUCE (WATER, SOYBEANS, WHEAT, SALT), GARLIC, OAT FIBER, SESAME OIL, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, SALT, GRILL FLAVOR (TAPIOCA DEXTRIN, SALT, GRILL FLAVOR [FROM SUNFLOWER OIL], SMOKE FLAVOR, SILICON DIOXIDE), BLACK PEPPER, DOUGH: ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], WATER, MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCH, WHEAT GLUTEN, SOYBEAN OIL, SALT
Allergens and diets
Contains: Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Sesame
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
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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
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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
-
“We found direct associations between the risk of type 2 diabetes and exposures to various food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods, in a large prospective cohort of French adults.”
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
-
Re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives
“However, the Panel noted uncertainties as regards the chemistry, the exposure assessment and biological and toxicological data.”
doi.org
-
Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)
monographs.iarc.who.int
-
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
-
“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
-
“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
-
“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
-
“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