Food
Quest Bake Shop Frosted Birthday Cake Cookies
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in saturated fat
- Contains non-nutritive sweeteners
- Contains sugar alcohols
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
Why it scores 36
Quest Bake Shop Frosted Birthday Cake Cookies scores 36 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
- minus 8 points 8 kinds of ultra-processing markers: Industrial additive classes found: bulking agent, emulsifier, flavoring, humectant, industrial protein, non-nutritive sweetener, sugar alcohol (polyol) and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. Emerging
- minus 7.5 points Erythritol: A 2023 study linked higher blood erythritol to cardiovascular events and found it increased clotting activity; long-term safety studies are warranted. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better cookies
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Frosted Birthday Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- Erythritol minus 7.5 points
- Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose) minus 7.5 points
- Sucralose minus 7.5 points
- Milk protein concentrate / isolate minus 1.5 points
- Whey protein concentrate / isolate minus 1.5 points
- Caseinate minus 1.5 points
- Vegetable oil (unspecified) minus 0.5 points
- Sunflower oil minus 0.5 points
- Canola oil minus 0.5 points
- Glycerin minus 0.5 points
- Soluble corn fiber (resistant dextrin) minus 0.5 points
- Palm kernel oil minus 0.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 0.5 points
- Lecithin minus 0.5 points
- Stevia (steviol glycosides) minus 0.5 points
- Gum arabic (acacia) minus 0.5 points
- Xanthan gum minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 8 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 8 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 8 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Salt 0.8 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Energy 360 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Fiber 12 g / 100 g plus 4 points
- Protein 20 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 64.5 = 35.5 → 36
Can’t score above 79. High in fat and saturated fat (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [22]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 360 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 28 g |
| Saturated fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Sugars | 4 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Fiber | 12 g |
| Protein | 20 g |
| Salt | 0.8 g |
Ingredients
- milk proteins (whey protein isolate, calcium caseinate, micellar casein)
- erythritol (moderate concern)
- vegetable oil (sunflower, canola, soy)
- almonds
- water
- glycerin
- polydextrose
- palm kernel oil
- soluble corn fiber
- natural flavors
- sea salt
- cocoa butter
- lecithin (sunflower, canola, soy)
- steviol glycosides (stevia)
- beet root powder (color)
- cocoa processed with alkali
- baking soda
- cellulose gum (moderate concern)
- arabic gum
- xanthan gum
- sucralose (moderate concern)
Label text, as published
milk proteins (whey protein isolate, calcium caseinate, micellar casein), erythritol, vegetable oil (sunflower, canola, and/or soy), almonds, water, glycerin, polydextrose, palm kernel oil, soluble corn fiber, natural flavors, sea salt, cocoa butter, lecithin (sunflower, canola, and/or soy), steviol glycosides (stevia), beet root powder (color), cocoa processed with alkali, baking soda, cellulose gum, arabic gum, xanthan gum, sucralose
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Tree nuts, Soy
- Not vegan
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
Sources
-
The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk
“Our findings reveal that erythritol is both associated with incident MACE risk and fosters enhanced thrombosis. Studies assessing the long-term safety of erythritol are warranted.”
doi.org
-
Re-evaluation of erythritol (E 968) as a food additive (plain language summary)
“In all groups of people, both acute and chronic exposure to erythritol is above the newly set ADI.”
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
-
Personalized microbiome-driven effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on human glucose tolerance
“As groups, each administered NNS distinctly altered stool and oral microbiome and plasma metabolome, whereas saccharin and sucralose significantly impaired glycemic responses.”
doi.org
-
“Sucralose-6-acetate significantly increased the expression of genes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer”
doi.org
-
“EFSA’s experts concluded that the sweetener sucralose (E 955) continues to be safe for consumers for its currently authorised uses as a food additive.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline
“The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.”
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
-
“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
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods
“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
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu
-
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
-
“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
-
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex III point 2.4 (foods with more than 10 % added polyols)
“‘excessive consumption may produce laxative effects’.”
eur-lex.europa.eu