Food Quality Guideby KarbCoach

Food Quality Guide by KarbCoach

Great Value Medium Thick & Chunky Salsa, Medium: Food Integrity analysis

Updated 2026-08-22 · Great Value

Quick answer

High integrity

Great Value medium thick & chunky salsa, medium received a Food Integrity Score of 80 out of 100 (high integrity). This reflects lightly processed and low additive load. This salsa features a relatively short ingredient list with mostly whole foods, creating a good balance between flavor and simplicity. However, the presence of natural flavor shows minor processing typical in packaged foods, slightly reducing transparency. Overall, it is a good choice for those wanting a flavorful salsa with a minimal ingredients list yet should be consumed moderately for optimal whole food eating. Main considerations include natural flavor, citric acid, and dehydrated ingredients. Look for salsas listing only whole ingredients like tomatoes, peppers, and onions for simplicity.

Food Integrity Score 80/100

What stood out on the label?

  • Lightly processed
  • Low additive load
  • Transparency: Medium

What to watch?

  • Natural flavor
  • Citric acid
  • Dehydrated ingredients

Simpler options to consider

  • Look for salsas listing only whole ingredients like tomatoes, peppers, and onions for simplicity

You are viewing ingredients and processing. Switch to Longevity for nutrition and longer-term eating pattern fit.

Source data, GTIN, and Food Quality Guide analysis details

Product facts

Product
Great Value Medium Thick & Chunky Salsa, Medium
Category
Condiments & Sauces (source: Dips & Salsa)
GTIN / UPC
00078742085623
Serving size
30 g (2 Tbsp)
Source data — ingredients
Ingredient list from product label data (see Sources)
Food Quality Guide analysis
Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards. See methodology under Sources.
Data last verified

Food Integrity results

Medium Thick & Chunky Salsa, Medium

Great Value

High integrity

Warning Signs

Despite clean ingredients, natural flavor could concern those preferring full transparency.

Consider This

The inclusion of natural flavor in this salsa suggests a touch of factory formulation.

Good Substitutes

Look for salsas listing only whole ingredients like tomatoes, peppers, and onions for simplicity.

Overall Assessment

High integrity

This salsa features a relatively short ingredient list with mostly whole foods, creating a good balance between flavor and simplicity. However, the presence of natural flavor shows minor processing typical in packaged foods, slightly reducing transparency. Overall, it is a good choice for those wanting a flavorful salsa with a minimal ingredients list yet should be consumed moderately for optimal whole food eating.

Key Highlights

What stood out

  • Natural flavor
  • Citric acid
  • Dehydrated ingredients

Family Watchlist

Ingredients some users may personally want to know about.

  • NATURAL FLAVOR — Users may prefer full transparency.

Highest concern ingredients

  • CITRIC ACID (6/10) — Common additive for preserving and flavor.
  • NATURAL FLAVOR (5/10) — Lacks full ingredient transparency.

Better choice tips

  • Look for salsas listing only whole ingredients like tomatoes, peppers, and onions for simplicity.

Ingredients

Ingredient list

TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), TOMATOES, JALAPENO PEPPERS, ONIONS, DISTILLED VINEGAR, SALT, DEHYDRATED GARLIC, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR.

Formulations can vary — check the package label for the final word.

Highest-concern ingredients first. Expand an item for notes.

  1. CITRIC ACIDConcern 6/10 — Moderate concernPreservativeAdditive

    What this is

    Preservative

    Processing category

    Synthetic / man-made

    Main concern area

    Additive load

    Why it matters

    Common in food processing as a preservative.

    Additional note

    Acidity regulator

  2. NATURAL FLAVORConcern 5/10 — Moderate concernVague ingredientWatchlist · Vague label term

    What this is

    Vague ingredient

    Processing category

    Processed

    Main concern area

    Family Watchlist

    Why it matters

    Vague ingredient lacking full transparency.

    Additional note

    Broad flavor category

    Family watchlist

    Users may prefer full transparency.

  3. TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE)Concern 1/10 — Very low concernProcessed

    What this is

    Processed

    Processing category

    Natural refined

    Main concern area

    Processing

    Why it matters

    Processing is typical but not excessive.

    Additional note

    Puree is a processed form

  4. DISTILLED VINEGARConcern 1/10 — Very low concernNatural refined

    What this is

    Natural refined

    Main concern area

    Processing

    Why it matters

    Common preservative and flavor balance.

    Additional note

    Processed flavor enhancer

View all 9 ingredient assessments
  1. DEHYDRATED GARLICConcern 1/10 — Very low concernProcessed

    What this is

    Processed

    Main concern area

    Processing

    Why it matters

    Common dehydrated ingredient; non-issue.

    Additional note

    Dehydration is mild processing

  2. TOMATOESConcern 0/10 — No meaningful concernWhole food

    What this is

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Whole, simple ingredient.

    Additional note

    Fresh, whole food

  3. JALAPENO PEPPERSConcern 0/10 — No meaningful concernWhole food

    What this is

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Whole, simple ingredient.

    Additional note

    Fresh, whole food

  4. ONIONSConcern 0/10 — No meaningful concernWhole food

    What this is

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Whole, simple ingredient.

    Additional note

    Fresh, whole food

  5. SALTConcern 0/10 — No meaningful concernSimple food

    What this is

    Simple food

    Processing category

    Whole food

    Why it matters

    Normal food-seasoning role.

    Additional note

    Basic seasoning

This score reflects ingredient analysis and does not constitute a health or safety rating. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

How this product may fit different goals

The same food can look different depending on what matters most to you. Here is a general preview of how this product may align with several common goals.

  • Vegetarian

    Supportive

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Vegetarian, the available data suggest this product may align in helpful ways.

    A supportive signal: Plant-food ingredients (Mentions "onion", "tomato". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Vegan

    Supportive

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Vegan, the available data suggest this product may align in helpful ways.

    A supportive signal: Plant-food ingredients (Mentions "onion", "tomato". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Plant-Based

    Supportive

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Plant-Based, the available data suggest this product may align in helpful ways.

    A supportive signal: Plant-food ingredients (Mentions "onion", "tomato". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Minimally Processed Eating

    Mixed

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Minimally Processed Eating, the same nutrition and ingredient data show both supportive signals and tradeoffs.

    A tradeoff: Family watchlist items (NATURAL FLAVOR)

    This product has 2 additional signals for this goal.

    See more for this goal

  • Whole-Food Focused Eating

    Mixed

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Whole-Food Focused Eating, the same nutrition and ingredient data show both supportive signals and tradeoffs.

    A tradeoff: Family watchlist items (NATURAL FLAVOR)

    This product has 2 additional signals for this goal.

    See more for this goal

  • Reduce Ultra-Processed Foods

    Mixed

    Dietary Patterns

    For someone prioritizing Reduce Ultra-Processed Foods, the same nutrition and ingredient data show both supportive signals and tradeoffs.

    A tradeoff: Family watchlist items (NATURAL FLAVOR)

    This product has 2 additional signals for this goal.

    See more for this goal

See how this product fits your goals

Choose what matters most to you and explore a more detailed interpretation of this product's nutrition, ingredients, and tradeoffs.

Personalize this analysis

Understanding the Food Integrity analysis

What the Food Integrity analysis evaluates

The Food Integrity analysis focuses on how a packaged food is formulated and made. It examines processing level, ingredient quality, additives, oils, sweeteners, purity cues, and how clearly a label communicates what is in the product. The Food Integrity Score summarizes that formulation and transparency picture on a 0–100 scale. It is not a full nutrient report and it is not a personalized meal plan.

Why processing, ingredients, and transparency matter

Processing level and ingredient quality shape what you are actually eating beyond calories on the label. Additives, industrial oils, and intense sweeteners can change how clean or heavily engineered a product feels, even when the front of pack looks wholesome. Purity and transparency matter because incomplete or marketing-heavy labeling can hide tradeoffs that only show up when the full ingredient list is reviewed carefully.

Who may prioritize Food Integrity

Some people care mainly about Food Integrity because their dietary goals center on formulation rather than macros alone. Examples include checking vegetarian or vegan suitability, preferring simpler ingredient sources, avoiding certain additives or sweeteners, watching oil choices, or preferring less processed options. For those priorities, the Food Integrity Score can be the more practical first read.

How Food Integrity differs from Longevity

Food Integrity is the focused analysis of processing, ingredients, additives, purity, and transparency. Longevity is the broader analysis of nutritional composition, metabolic and dietary characteristics, processing, and ingredient quality together. Favorable nutrition values do not necessarily mean strong Food Integrity: a product can look balanced on macros yet still rely on heavy processing or additives that the Food Integrity analysis flags in more detail.

Why the two analyses overlap—and why to review Longevity too

The analyses overlap intentionally. Food Integrity–related characteristics contribute to Longevity, and Longevity still benefits from the same ingredient-quality lens. They are not competing verdicts; they answer different questions at different depths. Reviewing the Longevity analysis can add information about nutritional composition, metabolic characteristics, and dietary balance that Food Integrity alone does not emphasize. Looking at both usually gives the most complete understanding of tradeoffs.

Common questions about this product

Is Great Value Medium Thick & Chunky Salsa, Medium highly processed?

Food Integrity lists processing level as Lightly processed. That reflects formulation and processing signals from the ingredient analysis — not a medical or regulatory classification.

Why are the Longevity and Food Integrity scores different?

Longevity emphasizes nutrition per serving and longer-term dietary alignment. Food Integrity emphasizes ingredients, additives, processing, and label transparency. The same product can score differently on those lenses.

How much fiber is in one serving?

Great Value Medium Thick & Chunky Salsa, Medium shows about 0.99g of fiber per labeled serving in the Longevity nutrition facts.

Does it contain added sugar?

Great Value Medium Thick & Chunky Salsa, Medium: 1g total sugar per serving. Confirm the current package Nutrition Facts and ingredient list.

What helped the Longevity Score?

Key positives called out in the analysis include: Whole tomatoes; Low calories; No saturated fat.

What prevented a perfect Longevity Score?

Key concerns noted include: Moderate sodium; Contains added salt.

Who might evaluate this product differently?

People prioritizing different goals (for example lower carbs, higher protein, or minimally processed eating) may weigh the same condiments & sauces differently. Use the goal preview on this page, then personalize in KarbCoach for your priorities.

Other published analyses in Condiments & Sauces, selected from the same Food Quality Guide catalog.

Source data and Food Quality Guide analysis

  1. Public label databases (including USDA FoodData Central and Open Food Facts) — Possible sources for package ingredients and nutrition.
  2. Food Quality Guide analysis (Longevity and Food Integrity) — Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards.
  3. How the Longevity Score is calculated
  4. How the Food Integrity Score is calculated
  5. Scoring models: KarbCoach Longevity and Food Integrity.
  6. Independent analysis. No manufacturer affiliation.
  7. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions. Full sources and safety details.
Label accuracy and safety information

Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

Sources, citations & safety

See how this item lines up with your goals

Food Quality Guide covers this product in detail. In KarbCoach, your goals shape what matters most for your meals.

Set your goals in KarbCoach

Also available in the app

Download on the App StoreGet it onGoogle Play