Kyoshin Rice Cake With Berry-Flavored Bean Paste, Strawberry & Blueberry — DUMP

Name: Kyoshin Rice Cake With Berry-Flavored Bean Paste, Strawberry & Blueberry
Brand: Kyoshin Confectioner Co. Ltd.

Munch or Dump rates Kyoshin Rice Cake With Berry-Flavored Bean Paste, Strawberry & Blueberry by Kyoshin Confectioner Co. Ltd. DUMP — score 17/90.

Sugar is the #1 ingredient, stacked with five more sweeteners, then dyed with three artificial colors and propped up with artificial flavor. This is engineered candy wearing a traditional-mochi costume.

Why this verdict

Sugar is the #1 ingredient — ahead of any actual food
Six stacked sweeteners: sugar, glucose syrup, maltose, hydrogenated glucose syrup, trehalose, sorbitol
Three artificial dyes (Red No. 3, Blue No. 1, Yellow No. 6) just for color
Artificial flavor and an emulsifier do the work real fruit should
Effectively a sugar bomb with trace bean paste

Ingredients (16)

Granulated sugar (moderate) — Added sugar in a savoury bread — no nutritional reason to be here.
glucose syrup (caution) — A second refined sweetener in the caramel.
Bean paste (kidney beans) (safe) — The one real-food element — provides a little fiber and protein, but it's sweetened.
Maltose (concerning) — Another added sugar; high-glycemic and purely for sweetness.
Glucose rice powder (moderate) — Refined rice starch base of the mochi — fast carbs, minimal nutrition.
Hydrogenated glucose syrup (moderate) — A sugar alcohol/polyol sweetener; large amounts can cause digestive upset.
Trehalose (moderate) — Yet another sugar used for texture and sweetness — fifth sweetener on the list.
sorbitol (moderate) — Sugar alcohol used as a humectant; can cause GI upset in quantity.
Concentrated fruit juice (strawberry, blueberry) (moderate) — More of a flavor/sugar input than real fruit — it's the marketing hook, not nutrition.
Glyceryl-lacto esters of fatty acids (moderate) — Synthetic emulsifier used to bind the engineered texture together.
sodium alginate (moderate) — Seaweed-derived thickener.
potato starch (safe) — Anti-caking agent to keep shreds separate.
Artificial Flavor) (moderate) — Lab-made flavor doing the 'creme' work.
Red No. 3 (Erythrosine) (harmful) — Artificial dye being phased out by the FDA over cancer concerns — no nutritional purpose.
FD&C Blue No. 1 (concerning) — Synthetic dye for color only; linked to hyperactivity sensitivity in some children.
FD&C Yellow No. 6 (concerning) — Synthetic dye for color only; associated with hyperactivity in sensitive kids.