Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Asda Vegetable Stock Cubes (12 x) ultra-processed?

120g Vegetable broths Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Asda Vegetable Stock Cubes (12 x)

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 22 ingredients
  • No additives

Less processed vegetable broths

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

Salt, Potato Starch, Vegetable Oil (Palm Oil, Sunflower Oil), Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Herbs, Spices, Celeriac, Onions, Dried Carrots, Tomato, Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Flavouring, Red Peppers, Caramel Sugar Syrup, Maltodextrin, flavours or hydrogenated fat

As written on the pack

Salt, Potato Starch, Vegetable Oil [Palm Oil, Sunflower Oil], Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Herbs, Spices, Celeriac, Roasted Onions, Dried Carrots, Tomato Powder, Onions, Garlic Powder, Dried Leeks, Flavouring, Red Peppers, Caramel Sugar Syrup, Maltodextrin. Allergy Advice! for allergens, see ingredients in bold. May also contain traces of nuts. NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS, FLAVOURS OR HYDROGENATED FAT.

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.

  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Glucose syrup Glucose syrup is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
4 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 60 vegetable broths

From least to most processed, this one ranks 48th. 65% of the vegetable broths 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 60 vegetable broths, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5050854977459, last edited 27 March 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.