Is Applied Nutrition Critical Whey Advance Protein ultra-processed?

Protein powders Sold in the United Kingdom

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
Milk proteins
Sweetener
Whey protein
E322 Lecithins
E955 Sucralose

8 ingredients
3 additives

Less processed protein powders

Soy Protein Mince H&B 1 ingredient · no additives NOVA group 1
Almond Protein Powder Bob's Red Mill 1 ingredient · no additives NOVA group 1
Hemp Protein Powder Manitoba Harvest 1 ingredient · no additives NOVA group 1
Simple Plant Protein Powder Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Orgain 6 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 1

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

whey protein (ultra-processing marker) (sunflower lecithin (ultra-processing marker)), iso-xp whey protein isolate, whey protein (ultra-processing marker), fat reduced cocoa powder, flavouring (ultra-processing marker), sweetener (ultra-processing marker) (sucralose (ultra-processing marker))

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

whey protein concentrate (milk) (sunflower lecithin), iso-xp whey protein isolate (milk), hydrolysed whey protein (milk), fat reduced cocoa powder, flavouring, sweetener (sucralose).

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.

Substances rarely used in home kitchens

Refined or extracted in factories, such as syrups made from starch or isolated proteins. The other hallmark of ultra-processed food.

Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
Whey protein Whey protein is concentrated from whey, the liquid left over from cheese making.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 150 protein powders

From least to most processed, this one ranks 85th. 95% of the protein powders here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 150 protein powders, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5056555202456, last edited 1 August 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.