Is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Snack Size Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Reese's
This page reviews Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Snack Size by Reese's as a snack. Its current score is 45/100, suggesting that it shows multiple flagged ingredients that may matter for sensitive users.
If you want the short version, start with these flagged ingredients: Sugar, Pgpr, Dextrose.
45 / 100
Why score is 45
The composition includes several synthetic additives like TBHQ and PGPR, which raise quality concerns. The presence of multiple sugars and fats further indicates a highly processed product.
Main concern
TBHQ is a synthetic preservative that raises safety concerns due to its potential health risks.
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 protein and healthy fats.
- Includes milk chocolate, which may appeal to chocolate lovers.
Concerns
- TBHQ is a synthetic preservative that raises safety concerns due to its potential health risks.
- High sugar content from multiple sources like sugar and dextrose indicates excessive sweetness.
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 snack and why it matters.
-
Is Milk Chocolate safe in this snack?
Medium
Milk Chocolate is used here as base. Milk chocolate provides flavor and sweetness but contains added sugars and fats, raising concerns about its nutritional value.
Role in formula: base
Original: milk chocolate
-
Is Sugar safe in this snack?
Bad
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is a highly processed sweetener that contributes to the overall high sugar content, raising health concerns.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: sugar
-
Is Cocoa Butter safe in this snack?
Medium
Cocoa Butter is used here as base. Cocoa butter adds creaminess and flavor but is a fat source that contributes to the overall fat content.
Role in formula: base
Original: cocoa butter
-
Is Chocolate safe in this snack?
Medium
Chocolate is used here as base. Chocolate enhances flavor but may contain added sugars and fats, contributing to the product's overall sweetness.
Role in formula: base
Original: chocolate
-
Is Nonfat Milk safe in this snack?
Medium
Nonfat Milk is used here as base. Nonfat milk adds creaminess and some protein but lacks the fat content found in whole milk.
Role in formula: base
Original: nonfat milk
-
Is Milk Fat safe in this snack?
Medium
Milk Fat is used here as base. Milk fat contributes to the product's creaminess but adds to the overall fat content.
Role in formula: base
Original: milk fat
-
Is Lactose safe in this snack?
Medium
Lactose is used here as sweetener. Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk, contributing to sweetness but may cause issues for lactose-intolerant individuals.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: lactose
-
Is Soy Lecithin safe in this snack?
Medium
Soy Lecithin is used here as emulsifier. Soy lecithin is used to stabilize the mixture but is a processed ingredient that may raise concerns for some consumers.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: soy lecithin
-
Is Pgpr safe in this snack?
Bad
Pgpr is used here as emulsifier. PGPR is a synthetic emulsifier that helps improve texture but raises concerns due to its artificial nature.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: PGPR
-
Is Peanuts safe in this snack?
Good
Peanuts is used here as base. Peanuts provide a source of protein and healthy fats, contributing positively to the product's nutritional profile.
Role in formula: base
Original: peanuts
-
Is Dextrose safe in this snack?
Bad
Dextrose is used here as sweetener. Dextrose is a simple sugar that adds to the overall sugar content, raising concerns about excessive sweetness.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: dextrose
-
Is Salt safe in this snack?
Medium
Salt is used here as flavor. Salt enhances flavor but contributes to sodium intake, which should be monitored in a balanced diet.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: salt
-
Is Tbhq safe in this snack?
Bad
Tbhq is used here as preservative. TBHQ is a synthetic preservative that raises safety concerns due to potential health risks associated with its consumption.
Role in formula: preservative
Original: TBHQ
-
Is Citric Acid safe in this snack?
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 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: 2423529
More from this brand: Reese's products in Zerotox
Similar products: snack in Zerotox database
Allergens detected: peanuts , milk
Report / complain: You may report errors or complain about this product or its formulation to hello [at] zeroto.app . Published for transparency.