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La Boulangère Pains au Chocolat
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Chocolate croissant

La Boulangère Pains au Chocolat

Poor out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
  • Contains palm oil
  • Seed-oil free
  • Contains whole grains
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Why it scores 30

La Boulangère Pains au Chocolat scores 30 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
  3. Saturated fat 10 g / 100 g: Very high in saturated fat. Strong

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

Better croissants, sweet rolls and pastries

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

The Receipt

Pains au Chocolat

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Palm oil
    Strong About half saturated fat; WHO recommends keeping saturated fat to 10% of energy or less. [4][5][6]
  • Sunflower lecithin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [7]
  • 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. [8][7]
  • Mono- and diglycerides
    Strong In the NutriNet-Santé cohort, higher intakes of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471 and E472) were associated with higher cardiovascular risk; cause and effect is not established. [9][10][7]
  • Wheat gluten
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [7]
  • Sodium stearoyl lactylate
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [7]
  • Locust bean gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [7]
subtotal−30.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [7]
  • 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavoring, industrial protein and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [7]
subtotal−22.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 13.3 g / 100 g
    Strong High in sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 10 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in saturated fat. [4]
  • Salt 0.9 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [11]
  • Energy 400 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−17
TOTAL 30Poor

100 − 70 = 30

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]

Can’t score above 79. High in fat and saturated fat (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [12]

GTIN 00852160006817 · 2026-07-06

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy400 kcal
Fat20 g
Saturated fat10 g
Carbohydrates46.7 g
Sugars13.3 g
Added sugars13.3 g
Fiber2.2 g
Protein6.7 g
Salt0.9 g

Serving: 1 portion (45 g)

Ingredients

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

enriched wheat flour (ferrous sulfate, niacinamide, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), palm oil*, chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla flavor), leavening (water, wheat flour, yeast, rye flour, malted wheat flour), water, sugar, eggs, yeast, mono - and diglycerides, salt, nonfat milk, carob germ flour, natural flavors, wheat gluten, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, locust bean gum, ascorbic acid (antioxidant "sustainably sourced contains : eggs, milk and wheat, may contain traces of soy,

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Egg

May contain: Soy

  • Not vegan
  • Not gluten-free
  • Not palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest chocolate croissant in the US

More from La Boulangère

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. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

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

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  8. 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

  9. Food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease in the NutriNet-Santé cohort: prospective cohort study

    BMJ · Sep 6, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  10. Re-evaluation of mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Nov 10, 2017 · Agency assessment

    “The available studies did not raise any concern with regard to genotoxicity.”

    doi.org

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome

    Nature · Mar 5, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  16. Randomized Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome

    Gastroenterology · March 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “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