Pringles

The Pringles French Fries & Ketchup Crisps earn a rating of 1/5 green leaves, signaling a product that falls short in terms of offering a cleaner food option. This snack is not organic and utilizes GMO ingredients, two factors that significantly impact its rating. The inclusion of added sugars and a variety of potentially and known harmful additives further detracts from its score. Among these are natural flavors and diglycerides, as well as artificial coloring agents like Red 40 and Blue 1, which have been linked to health concerns.

The product’s composition reveals the use of vegetable oil, including corn, cottonseed, high oleic soybean, and/or sunflower oil. These oils are considered harmful due to their processing methods and potential health implications. The presence of maltodextrin, a highly processed thickener and filler, also contributes negatively to the product’s evaluation.

The ingredient list showcases a combination of dried potatoes, corn-derived substances such as degerminated yellow corn flour and cornstarch, and rice flour. These are bound together with mono- and diglycerides. The flavor profile is built using tomato powder, yeast extract, garlic powder, and whey, aiming to mimic the taste of french fries with ketchup. To achieve the desired color, the crisps include paprika extract along with artificial colorants Red 40 Lake and Blue 1 Lake, which are known for their controversial health effects.

In light of the ingredients and the production choices made by the manufacturer, these crisps are positioned at the lowest end of the green leaf rating scale. The product’s composition, with its non-organic status, GMO ingredients, added sugars, harmful oils, and controversial additives, makes it a poor choice for those seeking cleaner food alternatives. Consumers are advised to consider other options that align better with a health-conscious diet.