The Grocery Store Chicken Nugget Brand That Uses The Worst Ingredients

The next time you're grocery shopping at Walmart, avoid wasting your time and money on the chain's Great Value Chicken Nuggets and steer clear of their Great Value Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets, too. Both of these fully cooked, frozen chicken nugget brands have identical ingredients. Priced at $0.19-0.20 per ounce, it seems like an unbeatable deal, but that low price comes at the cost of high-quality ingredients. Instead, inexpensive fillers are used to make up the difference. 

These fillers include textured soy protein concentrate, a cheaper and lower-quality protein source, and maltodextrin, a white, powdery starch extracted from certain foods and used to thicken processed foods and add volume. It's one thing if low-quality ingredients make a darn good-tasting product — whatever McDonald's Chicken McNuggets are made from, they never tasted so good to so many people — but it's another thing if the ingredients are bad and taste that way too.

Soy can also be challenging for some people to digest, especially when it's heavily processed like textured soy protein concentrate is. The same is true for maltodextrin. Based on studies, experts suggest limiting your intake of maltodextrin, as it can negatively impact gut bacteria. Maltodextrin's high glycemic index score of 110 (higher than table sugar) means it is also not ideal for diabetics or those watching their blood sugar, since it can spike blood sugar levels.

The sunflower oil in chicken nuggets and the vegetable oil they're fried in are among the "hateful eight" of commonly used seed oils, a controversial topic popularized on social media. Many warn against consuming these heavily processed oils, as they are believed to contribute to chronic inflammation, sparking discussion among health professionals. The Cleveland Clinic clarifies that seed oils themselves aren't necessarily harmful, but they are often used in processed and ultra-processed foods, like chicken nuggets, which can contribute to overall poor health.

Another hot topic that's been debated for quite some time now is the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in foods, particularly soy and corn (maltodextrin is most commonly derived from corn), which are both found in Great Value frozen chicken nugget products. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asserts that GMOs and the foods containing them are safe for consumption, many people choose to avoid GMO foods over potential health concerns. 

If you're seeking a brand of frozen chicken nuggets made with high-quality ingredients, Applegate Farms Frozen Chicken Nuggets are made with humanely raised white-meat chicken, never subjected to animal by-product feed, hormones, or antibiotics. For fun shapes, Simple Truth Organic Gluten-Free Frozen Breaded Chicken Nuggets in animal shapes are a great option. They're high in protein and made with organic and non-GMO ingredients, including gluten-free breading, catering to individuals following a gluten-free diet.