Is Peanut Butter Cups Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Reese's
This page reviews Peanut Butter Cups by Reese's as a dessert. Its current score is 30/100, suggesting that it has several flagged ingredients and may not suit cautious buyers.
If you want the short version, start with these flagged ingredients: Sugars, Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate, Dextrose.
30 / 100
Why score is 30
The composition includes multiple sugars and synthetic additives like TBHQ, raising significant quality and safety concerns. The presence of artificial ingredients indicates a highly processed product.
Main concern
High sugar content from multiple sources raises concerns about excessive sweetness.
Why it matters: This ingredient is flagged in our analysis based on regulatory and scientific sources. Check the Ingredients section for details and see Data sources for methodology.
Regulation status: Ingredient safety is assessed from EU/EPA/CIR and similar databases; formulations may vary. Always read the product label.
Pros
- Contains peanuts, providing a source of flavor and texture.
- Milk chocolate adds a familiar taste profile, appealing to many consumers.
Concerns
- High sugar content from multiple sources raises concerns about excessive sweetness.
- TBHQ is a synthetic preservative that may pose health risks with long-term consumption.
- Lecithin and polyglycerol polyricinoleate are processed emulsifiers that may raise quality concerns.
Who should avoid this product?
You may want to be cautious with this product if you are:
- people with sensitive skin or fragrance sensitivity
- people avoiding animal-derived ingredients
Ingredients breakdown
The ingredient notes below are written to explain what each ingredient does in this dessert and why it matters.
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Is Milk Chocolate safe in this dessert?
Medium
Milk Chocolate is used here as base. Milk chocolate provides sweetness and creaminess but contains added sugars and fats, raising quality concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: Milk chocolate
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Is Sugars safe in this dessert?
Bad
Sugars is used here as sweetener. Sugars contribute to high sweetness levels and potential health risks associated with excessive sugar intake.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: sugars
-
Is Lactose safe in this dessert?
Medium
Lactose is used here as sweetener. Lactose is a sugar found in milk, contributing to sweetness but may cause issues for lactose-intolerant individuals.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: lactose
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Is Cocoa Butter safe in this dessert?
Medium
Cocoa Butter is used here as base. Cocoa butter adds creaminess and texture but is a processed fat that may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: cocoa butter
-
Is Milk Ingredients safe in this dessert?
Medium
Milk Ingredients is used here as base. Milk ingredients contribute to flavor and texture but may include processed components that raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: milk ingredients
-
Is Unsweetened Chocolate safe in this dessert?
Good
Unsweetened Chocolate is used here as base. Unsweetened chocolate provides rich flavor without added sugars, indicating a better quality component.
Role in formula: base
Original: unsweetened chocolate
-
Is Lecithin safe in this dessert?
Medium
Lecithin is used here as emulsifier. Lecithin is used as an emulsifier to improve texture but is a processed ingredient that may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: lecithin
-
Is Soy safe in this dessert?
Medium
Soy is used here as base. Soy is often used for texture and emulsification but may raise concerns for those with soy allergies.
Role in formula: base
Original: soy
-
Is Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate safe in this dessert?
Bad
Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate is used here as emulsifier. This synthetic emulsifier is used to improve texture but raises concerns due to its artificial nature.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: polyglycerol polyricinoleate
Read the full ingredient profile for Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate
-
Is Peanuts safe in this dessert?
Good
Peanuts is used here as base. Peanuts provide flavor and texture, contributing positively to the product's overall quality.
Role in formula: base
Original: Peanuts
-
Is Dextrose safe in this dessert?
Bad
Dextrose is used here as sweetener. Dextrose is a simple sugar that adds sweetness but contributes to the overall high sugar content.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: dextrose
-
Is Salt safe in this dessert?
Medium
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor but may raise concerns for those monitoring sodium intake.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: Salt
-
Is Tbhq safe in this dessert?
Bad
Tbhq is used here as preservative. TBHQ is a synthetic preservative that may pose health risks with long-term consumption, raising significant safety concerns.
Role in formula: preservative
Original: TBHQ
-
Is Citric Acid safe in this dessert?
Medium
Citric Acid is used here as acidulant. Citric acid is used for flavor enhancement and preservation but is a processed ingredient that may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: acidulant
Original: Citric acid
How we score
Our safety scores and ingredient breakdowns are based on regulatory and scientific sources. See Data sources & methodology and How Zerotox works for full details.
Product info
Product ID: 3240261
More from this brand: Reese's products in Zerotox
Similar products: dessert in Zerotox database
Allergens detected: peanut , milk
Report / complain: You may report errors or complain about this product or its formulation to hello [at] zeroto.app . Published for transparency.