Cheez-It Original
Summary
Cheez-It Original scores 6/100. Marketed as 'made with 100% real cheese' and 'baked snack crackers,' but the ingredient list reveals ultra-processed food. Enriched flour with synthetic vitamins is the base. The vegetable oil is a blend of high oleic soybean, soybean, palm, and/or canola oil preserved with TBHQ, a petroleum-derived synthetic antioxidant. The cheese is made from skim milk with whey protein and annatto extract color. While the cheese component provides some real food value, the seed oils, TBHQ, enriched flour, and soy lecithin drag it down. Distributed by Kellogg/Kellanova.
At a glance
Contaminants 1
Source: Anresco Laboratories
Glyphosate Detected High
Detected at a high level — at or above health-based exposure limits. Regular exposure at this level is a genuine health concern. Glyphosate is classified as a probable human carcinogen by IARC.
Food Democracy Now / The Detox Project 2016 testing (Anresco Laboratories, FDA-registered, LC-MS/MS) confirmed positive for glyphosate.
Key ingredients 14
Enriched FlourBad
Refined wheat flour stripped of nutrients, fortified with synthetic vitamins.
See more about Enriched Flour →High Oleic Soybean OilVery Bad
High Oleic Soybean Oil is a refined seed oil. High-oleic varieties are higher in monounsaturated fat and lower in omega-6 than standard versions, but remain industrially processed seed oils — Scout classifies all seed oils as very_bad regardless of oleic profile.
See more about High Oleic Soybean Oil →Soybean OilVery Bad
Inflammatory seed oil high in omega-6 fatty acids.
See more about Soybean Oil →Palm OilBad
Inflammatory saturated fat.
See more about Palm Oil →Canola OilVery Bad
Inflammatory seed oil. Heavily processed.
See more about Canola Oil →TBHQVery Bad
Petroleum-derived synthetic preservative (tertiary butylhydroquinone). One of the most concerning food additives.
See more about TBHQ →Cheese Cultures & EnzymesGood
Real fermentation cultures used to make actual cheese. The one genuine food component.
See more about Cheese Cultures & Enzymes →Skim MilkNeutral
Provides some protein and calcium, but stripped of beneficial fat-soluble vitamins.
See more about Skim Milk →Whey ProteinNeutral
Functional protein addition to the cheese.
See more about Whey Protein →Annatto Extract ColorNeutral
Natural coloring derived from achiote seeds. Generally safe.
See more about Annatto Extract Color →SaltNeutral
Standard seasoning. 230mg sodium per serving.
See more about Salt →Paprika / Paprika ExtractNeutral
Natural spice and coloring.
See more about Paprika / Paprika Extract →YeastNeutral
Standard leavening/flavoring agent.
See more about Yeast →Soy LecithinBad
Emulsifier derived from soy. Soy-based additive in an ultra-processed product.
See more about Soy Lecithin →Processing
Ultra-Processed Foods
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