Snacks
Dot’s Homestyle pretzels (southwestern)
16 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- Contains artificial flavors
Why it scores 18
Dot’s Homestyle pretzels (southwestern) scores 18 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 Corn syrup solids: 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 pretzels
-
Pretzel Sticks Trader Joe's · 150 g Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 97 out of 100 , 79 points higher -
Pretzel Sea Salt Crackers Savoritz Not ultra-processed · No artificial flavors Score 60 out of 100 , 42 points higher -
Mini Retzel Twists Trader Joe's · 12 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 61 points higher -
Pretzel Braids Maui Monk Stellar · 32 oz Not ultra-processed · No artificial flavors Score 63 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Pretzel nuggets Signature Select · 680 g Not ultra-processed · No artificial flavors Score 61 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
Dot’s Homestyle pretzels (southwestern)
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Corn syrup solids minus 20 points
- Vegetable oil (unspecified) minus 2.5 points
- Canola oil minus 1.5 points
- Soybean oil minus 1.5 points
- Artificial flavors minus 1.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 0.5 points
- Maltodextrin minus 0.5 points
- Natural and artificial flavors minus 0.5 points
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG) minus 0.5 points
- Yeast extract minus 0.5 points
- Disodium guanylate minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 4.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Salt 3.2 g / 100 g minus 9 points
- Energy 500 kcal / 100 g minus 3 points
- Fiber 3.6 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 82.5 = 17.5 → 18
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 500 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 21.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 67.9 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Fiber | 3.6 g |
| Protein | 7.1 g |
| Salt | 3.2 g |
Serving: 1 16 pieces (28 g)
Ingredients
- enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- salt
- vegetable oil (the folowing: corn, canola, soybean)
- artificial butter flavor
- com syrup (not recognized)
- yeast
- flavoring (maltodextrin, tomato powder, spices, cheddar cheese, natural and artificial flavors including extractives of celery seed)
- dehydrated red bell pepper
- monosodium glutamate
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- yeast extract
- sugar (high concern)
- corn syrup solids (high concern)
- disodium inosiate and disodium guanylate
- cream solids
- paprika
- peno pepper
- citric acid
- lime juice solids
- lactic kod (not recognized)
- gutains (not recognized)
- as pong aids: silicon dioxide and calcium stearate)
- wheat
- milk vi hafacilit that may use neanute (not recognized)
Label text, as published
enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), salt, vegetable oil (may contain one or more of the folowing: corn, canola, soybean), artificial butter flavor, com syrup, yeast, flavoring (maltodextrin, tomato powder, spices, cheddar cheese [pasteurized cultured milk, salt, enzymes], natural and artificial flavors including extractives of celery seed], dehydrated red bell pepper, monosodium glutamate, garlic powder , onion powder, yeast extract, sugar, corn syrup solids, disodium inosiate and disodium guanylate, cream solids, paprika, peno pepper, citric acid, lime juice solids, lactic kod, gutains less than 2% of the following as pong aids: silicon dioxide and calcium stearate), wheat, milk vi hafacilit that may use neanute
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More snacks on GoodSwap
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Crispy Coconut Rolls Organic · 312 g High in sugarHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsCertified organic Score 27 out of 100 Poor -
Protein Peanut butter Dark Chocolate chewy bar Nature Valley Protein · 40 g Ultra-processedHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 9 out of 100 Bad -
Roasted Seaweed Snacks Sea Salt Gimme · 14 oz High in saltContains seed oilsCertified organicNo additives Score 79 out of 100 Good -
Cauliflower Cheddar Puffed Veggie Stalks From The Ground Up · 4 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltContains seed oilsNo synthetic dyes Score 61 out of 100 Good -
Deluxe Whole Cashews Great Value · 16 oz/1 lb/454 g High in saturated fatContains seed oilsNo additives Score 79 out of 100 Good
More from Dot's
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
-
“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
-
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
-
Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
“FDA considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).”
fda.gov
-
EFSA reviews safety of glutamates added to food
“EFSA re-assessed the safety of glutamates used as food additives and derived a group acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 30 mg/kg body weight per day for all six of these additives.”
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