Breads

Wellsley Farms French Toast Sticks

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence

Contains added sugars
Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
Contains seed oils
Contains artificial flavors

Why it scores 14

Wellsley Farms French Toast Sticks scores 14 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, estimated): No NOVA group on file; estimated from 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers. Strong

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

Better frozen waffles and pancakes

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

The Receipt

French Toast Sticks

START100

Ingredients

Sugar minus 20 points

Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
Corn syrup solids minus 20 points

Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
Soybean oil minus 2.5 points

Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [4][5][6][7]
Calcium propionate minus 1.5 points

Regulatory Health Canada permits it only in listed foods, up to set limits (2,000 ppm in bread, as propionic acid). [8]
Mono- and diglycerides minus 1.5 points

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][11]
DATEM minus 1.5 points

Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
Soy lecithin minus 0.5 points

Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
Modified starch minus 0.5 points

Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]
Natural and artificial flavors minus 0.5 points

Strong The label does not disclose which flavoring substances are used. [12][2]
Modified cellulose minus 0.5 points

Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [11]

subtotal−49

Processing

Ultra-processed (NOVA 4, estimated) minus 18 points

Strong No NOVA group on file; estimated from 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers. [11]
5 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 6 points

Emerging Industrial additive classes found: emulsifier, flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [11]

subtotal−24

Nutrition per 100 g

Sugars 15.5 g / 100 g minus 8 points

Strong High in sugar. [1]
Saturated fat 1.8 g / 100 g minus 1 points

Strong Contains some saturated fat. [13]
Salt 0.8 g / 100 g minus 3 points

Strong High in salt. [14]
Energy 300 kcal / 100 g minus 1 points

Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]

subtotal−13

TOTAL 14Bad

100 − 86 = 14

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

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy	300 kcal
Fat	13.6 g
Saturated fat	1.8 g
Trans fat	0 g
Carbohydrates	40 g
Sugars	15.5 g
Added sugars	15.5 g
Fiber	1.8 g
Protein	4.6 g
Salt	0.8 g

Serving: 1 serving (100 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.

Label text, as published

ENRICHED BREAD (ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, REDUCED IRON, NIACIN, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], WATER, SUGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: YEAST, SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, CALCIUM PROPIONATE [PRESERVATIVE], MONOGLYCERIDES, DATEM, GRAIN VINEGAR, CITRIC ACID, TURMERIC & ANNATTO [COLOR], SOY LECITHIN), WATER, BATTER (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, SUGAR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: CINNAMON NUTMEG, EGG, SKIM MILK, SALT, SOYBEAN OIL, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, LEAVENING [SODIUM BICARBONATE], CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, MODIFIED CELLULOSE, SOY LECITHIN), SOYBEAN OIL, CINNAMON SUGAR (SUGAR, CINNAMON).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Egg

Not vegan
Not gluten-free
Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Sources

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
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
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
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
Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

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

Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

doi.org
11. List of Permitted Preservatives (Lists of Permitted Food Additives)

Health Canada · Oct 20, 2025 · Regulator

“B.2 Butylated Hydroxyanisole n/a (a) Active dry yeasts (a) Preservative (a) 1,000 ppm n/a”

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

Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

doi.org
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
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
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
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
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

Score

Why it scores 14

Better frozen waffles and pancakes

Nutrition per 100 g

Ingredients

Allergens and diets

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Sources