Nerds Gummy Clusters, Rainbow — DUMP
Munch or Dump rates Nerds Gummy Clusters, Rainbow by Nerds (Ferrara) DUMP — score 17/90.
A crunchy Nerds shell over a gummy center means one thing nutritionally: sugar delivered four different ways and painted with half a dozen synthetic dyes. Dextrose, sugar, corn syrup, and apple juice concentrate do the sweetening; Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and carmine do the color. It is a dye-and-sugar bomb, and it does not pretend otherwise.
Why this verdict
- Long ingredient list of 20-plus items, dominated by sugars and colorants.
- Six-plus added colors including Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 lakes, and carmine.
- Four sweetener sources: dextrose, sugar, corn syrup, and apple juice concentrate.
- NOVA 4 ultra-processed confection with no redeeming whole-food content.
Ingredients (11)
- Dextrose (caution) — Second added sweetener.
- Sugar (moderate) — Added for sweetness, can contribute to calorie content.
- Corn Syrup (caution) — Added sugar baked into the crust.
- gelatin (moderate) — Animal-derived binder for the frosting; makes the product non-vegetarian.
- Modified Corn Starch (moderate) — Thickener/stabilizer that gives the sauce body.
- malic acid (safe) — Tartness, contributes the sour note.
- APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE (moderate) — 100% fruit, but a concentrated sugar source with the fiber removed.
- red 40 (avoid) — Artificial petroleum-derived dye with no purpose in a brown chocolate product; a decisive negative.
- yellow 5 (avoid) — Artificial dye linked to sensitivity in some people; unnecessary here.
- carmine (moderate) — Insect-derived red color, a known allergen for some.
- carnauba wax (safe) — Plant wax used to keep the bears from sticking.