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Beyond Meat Beyond Chicken Tenders Plant-Based Tenders
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Chickens

Beyond Meat Beyond Chicken Tenders Plant-Based Tenders

8 oz

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Not permitted in some countries
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains seed oils
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 21

Beyond Meat Beyond Chicken Tenders Plant-Based Tenders scores 21 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  3. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4, estimated): No NOVA group on file; estimated from 8 kinds of ultra-processing markers. Strong

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

Better chicken nuggets and tenders

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

The Receipt

Beyond Chicken Tenders Plant-Based Tenders

START100

Ingredients

  • Dextrose
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Titanium dioxide
    Regulatory EFSA (2021) could not rule out genotoxicity and could not set a safe daily intake, so the EU removed E171 from the list of permitted food additives in 2022. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4, estimated)
    Strong No NOVA group on file; estimated from 8 kinds of ultra-processing markers. [11]
  • 8 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial protein, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [11]
subtotal−26

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Saturated fat 2.5 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some saturated fat. Counted at half for this whole-food category. [12]
  • Salt 1.4 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [13]
  • Energy 262 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. Counted at half for this whole-food category. [2]
  • Protein 16.3 g / 100 g
    Info A good source of protein. [2]
subtotal−3
TOTAL 21Poor

100 − 79 = 21

Can’t score above 25. Contains titanium dioxide, which is banned in food in the EU. [4]

Can’t score above 79. Contains dextrose, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

GTIN 00810057290299 · 2026-09-15

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy262 kcal
Fat15 g
Saturated fat2.5 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates18.8 g
Sugars1.3 g
Added sugars1.2 g
Fiber2.5 g
Protein16.3 g
Salt1.4 g

Serving: 1 portion (96 g)

Ingredients

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

WATER, FABA BEAN PROTEIN, BREADING (WHEAT FLOUR, RICE FLOUR, SALT, CORN STARCH, PEA PROTEINT, CANOLA OIL, WHEAT GLUTEN, PAPRIKA, SPICES, DEXTROSE, LEAVENING [SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE], SUGAR, SUNFLOWER OIL, DRIED ONION, DRIED GARLIC, YEAST EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS), BREADCRUMBS (WHEAT FLOUR, SUGAR, SEA SALT, DRIED YEAST), VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, NATURAL FLAVORS, EXPELLER-PRESSED CANOLA OIL, PEA STARCH, METHYLCELLULOSE, AND 1% OR LESS OF YEAST EXTRACT, REFINED COCONUT OIL, SALT, GARLIC POWDER, ONION POWDER, SPICES, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (FOR COLOR), SUNFLOWER LECITHIN.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Wheat

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Not gluten-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest chickens in the US

More from Beyond Meat

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. 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

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/63 of 14 January 2022 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 as regards the food additive titanium dioxide (E 171)

    European Union (Official Journal) · Jan 14, 2022 · Law

    “titanium dioxide (E 171) can no longer be considered safe when used as a food additive.”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  5. Titanium dioxide: E171 no longer considered safe when used as a food additive

    European Food Safety Authority · May 6, 2021 · Agency assessment

    “the Panel concluded that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  6. Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 97th meeting: summary and conclusions (titanium dioxide)

    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) · Nov 24, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “Considering the very low oral absorption of INS 171, and in the absence of any identifiable hazard associated with INS 171 in the diet, the Committee reaffirmed the ADI “not specified” established at the Thirteenth meeting.”

    who.int

  7. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a food additive: Current science report

    Health Canada · Jul 14, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “In summary, the Food Directorate's position is that there is no conclusive scientific evidence that the food additive TiO2 is a concern for human health.”

    canada.ca

  8. Statement on the safety of Titanium Dioxide (E171) as a Food Additive (COT/2024/05)

    Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (UK) · Oct 2, 2024 · Agency assessment

    “The Committee concludes that it is unlikely that there would be a risk to health from exposures of E171 TiO2 from the diet in any of the age groups or scenarios assessed.”

    cot.food.gov.uk

  9. Titanium Dioxide as a Color Additive in Foods

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Mar 4, 2024 · Regulator

    “Other international regulatory bodies including the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency (FSA), Health Canada, and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) have not agreed with EFSA’s assessment.”

    fda.gov

  10. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. Revocation of Authorization for Use of Brominated Vegetable Oil in Food (89 FR 55040)

    Federal Register (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) · Jul 3, 2024 · Law

    “This action is being taken because there is no longer a reasonable certainty of no harm from the continued use of BVO in food.”

    federalregister.gov

  15. Color Additive Petition From Center for Science in the Public Interest, et al.; Request To Revoke Color Additive Listing for Use of FD&C Red No. 3 in Food and Ingested Drugs (90 FR 4628)

    Federal Register (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) · Jan 16, 2025 · Law

    “This order is effective January 15, 2027, except for amendatory instruction 4, which is effective January 18, 2028.”

    federalregister.gov

  16. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products

    European Union (Official Journal) · Nov 30, 2009 · Law

    “cosmetic products shall not contain any of the following: (a) prohibited substances — prohibited substances listed in Annex II”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  17. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  18. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  19. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org