Ocean Spray Craisins Dried Cranberries: Labelgrade C+ (67/100)
C+ 67 / 100 — Very low saturated fat, notable sugar load, very low sodium, and substantial fiber.
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Ocean Spray Craisins Dried Cranberries delivers 0g of protein and 130 calories per 0.25 cup (USDA FDC 2439369). Per 100g that’s 0g of protein; per oz, 0g. The Labelgrade is C+ (67 / 100): Very low saturated fat, notable sugar load, very low sodium, and substantial fiber.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | D | 50 / 100 | 0g per 100g — below the high-protein bar; not the right product for protein hunting |
| Ingredient quality | B | 75 / 100 | 6 ingredients, recognizable, no significant additive flags |
| Saturated fat load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0g saturated fat — perfect |
| Sodium load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0mg sodium — perfect |
| Sugar load | F | 0 / 100 | 29g sugar; USDA omits the added-sugar line, but the ingredients list a sweetener — scored as added, not naturally-occurring |
| Fiber | B+ | 83 / 100 | 3g per serving — good |
| Overall | C+ | 67 / 100 | Weighted blend: protein 23% · ingredients 21% · saturated fat 18% · sodium 15% · sugar 15% · fiber 8% |
Sweetened fruit, not a free pass
Read the label in order and the product explains itself: CRANBERRIES, SUGAR, POMEGRANATE JUICE CONCENTRATE… The fruit is first, but the sweetener is second, and that ordering shows up on the Nutrition Facts panel as 29g of sugar in a quarter-cup — roughly seven teaspoons, in the same range as many candies by the handful.
This isn’t Ocean Spray cutting a corner. Raw cranberries are punishingly tart and carry little of their own sugar, so a plain dried cranberry is closer to a sour pellet than a snack. The standard fix is to infuse the berries with sugar so they rehydrate into something chewy and sweet — which is exactly why Craisins are pleasant to eat and exactly why the sugar count is what it is. The takeaway isn’t “avoid,” it’s “calibrate expectations”: this is sweetened fruit, and it should be counted like one, not waved through as a health food because the word cranberry is on the bag.
What you do get: fiber and antioxidants
Strip away the sugar conversation and there’s still real fruit here. Each serving carries 3g of fiber — a solid 11% of the 28g Daily Value, and more than you’ll get from most candies that hit the same sugar number. Cranberries are also a recognized source of polyphenol antioxidants, the compounds behind the fruit’s reputation in urinary-tract health research. The skins survive drying, so those compounds come along for the ride.
That combination is what separates Craisins from pure confectionery and is the honest case in their favor: as a chewy, tart accent on a salad, in oatmeal, or folded into a trail mix, they bring fiber and fruit character that chocolate chips or yogurt-coated candies don’t. The line to hold is portion. A quarter cup sprinkled as a topping is a reasonable use; a fistful eaten like trail snacks turns a fiber source into a sugar source quickly.
How it compares
| Product | Protein per serving | Per 100 g | Per oz | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Spray Craisins Dried Cranberries (this product) | 0g | 0g | 0g | 130 |
| Sunsweet Pitted Prunes | 1g | 2.5g | 0.7g | 100 |
| Sun-Maid Vanilla Yogurt Raisins | 0.999g | 3.3g | 0.9g | 120 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
Scope
This page covers Ocean Spray Craisins Dried Cranberries (12 oz/340 g), UPC 031200294500, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2439369. Ocean Spray sells multiple variants in this product line — other sizes, flavors, or fat levels may have different macros and Labelgrade scores. Manufacturers periodically reformulate; always cross-reference the actual package label, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
CRANBERRIES, SUGAR, POMEGRANATE JUICE CONCENTRATE, MALIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, ELDERBERRY JUICE CONCENTRATE (FOR COLOR).
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 0.25 cup
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (0.25 cup) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 130 |
| Protein | 0g |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 33g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3g |
| Total Sugars | 29g |
| Sodium | 0mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Craisins Dried Cranberries (12 oz/340 g) · UPC 031200294500. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains no listed animal products
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Ocean Spray Craisins healthy?
They're better than candy and worse than they look. You do get 3g of fiber and the antioxidants cranberries are known for, with no fat and no sodium. But sugar is the second ingredient, and a quarter-cup serving carries 29g of it — about seven teaspoons. That's why they grade C+ (67/100): real fruit benefits, sitting on top of a sweetener load that's hard to ignore.
Why a C+ — and why is the sugar scored as added?
Sugar load is the anchor here, graded F. The USDA entry omits a separate added-sugar line, but the ingredient list names SUGAR in the second position, so we score the 29g as added rather than naturally-occurring — the honest read of the label. Fiber (B+) and a clean sodium and saturated-fat profile (both A+) pull the overall back up to C+, but no amount of fiber offsets seven teaspoons of sugar on the headline dimension.
Why do dried cranberries need added sugar when raisins and prunes don't?
Because the raw fruit is genuinely inedible as a snack. Cranberries are intensely tart and low in their own sugar — nothing like a grape or a plum, which dry down into something already sweet. To turn them into a chewy snack, manufacturers infuse them with sugar (often as a syrup), which is why SUGAR sits second on the list and why the sugar count rivals candy. It isn't a quality lapse so much as the nature of the fruit: a sweetened cranberry is the only kind most people would eat by the handful.
Is there a reduced-sugar version, and does the serving size matter?
Ocean Spray sells a reduced-sugar Craisins line that cuts the sugar meaningfully — worth seeking out if you like the flavor but not the load. Either way, watch the serving: a quarter cup is small, and it's easy to pour double onto a salad or into trail mix without noticing, which doubles the 29g. As a sprinkled accent they're fine; eaten like popcorn they add up fast.
What's a lower-sugar dried fruit if I want the fiber?
Unsweetened dried fruit is the cleaner play. [Sunsweet prunes](/sunsweet-pitted-prunes-9-oz-255-g) bring more fiber and zero added sugar — their 15g is the plum's own, versus the added sweetener in Craisins — and grade a tier higher at B. If it's specifically the tart-sweet, salad-topper role you want, reduced-sugar Craisins or a smaller portion of these is the move. Just don't mistake the regular version for a low-sugar food.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-05, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2439369. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days when a manufacturer reformulates.