Dried rice noodles
Snapdragon Chicken Pad Thai
32 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 45
Snapdragon Chicken Pad Thai scores 45 out of 100 (Okay) 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 Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose): In a small randomized feeding trial, carboxymethylcellulose modestly increased abdominal discomfort and reduced gut microbiota diversity; in mice it promoted low-grade inflammation. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better frozen meals
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Kung Pao Chicken Trader Ming's · 23 oz (1 lb 7 oz) 652 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 95 out of 100 , 50 points higher -
Chicken Parmesan Michael Angelo's · 227 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 85 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Rao’s Made For Home · 25 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 88 out of 100 , 43 points higher -
Chicken Enchilada Bake Evol · 9 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 86 out of 100 , 41 points higher -
Chicken & Spinach Garlic Alfredo Bowl Vital Pursuit · 290 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 88 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
Chicken Pad Thai
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose) minus 7.5 points
- Canola oil minus 2.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 1.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 7.6 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Salt 1.5 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Protein 9.5 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 55.5 = 44.5 → 45
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 157 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 5.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.7 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17.6 g |
| Sugars | 7.6 g |
| Added sugars | 2.3 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 9.5 g |
| Salt | 1.5 g |
Serving: 1 cup (210 g)
Ingredients
- entrée: boneless white chicken (boneless white chicken, water, sugar, salt and baking soda)
- pad thai sauce (sugar, water, onion, canola oil, tahini paste [sesame seeds], fish sauce anchovy extract, salt) (not recognized)
- garlic
- tomato paste
- lime juice
- rice wine vinegar
- tamarind puree (tamarind pulp, water)
- corn starch
- salt
- paprika
- oleoresin paprika
- spices)
- red bell pepper
- bean sprout (not recognized)
- green onion
- carrot
- cilantro
- rice noodle: rice
- tapioca starch
- sugar (high concern)
- salt
- cellulose gum (moderate concern)
Label text, as published
entrée: boneless white chicken (boneless white chicken, water, sugar, salt and baking soda), pad thai sauce (sugar, water, onion, canola oil, tahini paste [sesame seeds], fish sauce anchovy extract, salt], garlic, tomato paste, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, and contains 2% or less of: tamarind puree [tamarind pulp, water], corn starch, salt, paprika, oleoresin paprika, and spices), red bell pepper, bean sprout, green onion, carrot, and cilantro, rice noodle: rice, tapioca starch, sugar, salt, and cellulose gum, contains: fish (anchovy) and sesame,
Allergens and diets
Contains: Soy, Fish, Sesame
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More dried rice noodles on GoodSwap
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More from Snapdragon
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
-
“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
-
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
-
“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
-
“The Panel concluded that there was no need for a numerical ADI and that there would be no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels for the unmodified and modified celluloses”
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
-
“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