Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Barbells Caramel peanut vegan protein bar ultra-processed?

55 g Protein bars Sold in the United States

Pack of Barbells Caramel peanut vegan protein bar

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
  • 7 additives

Less processed protein bars

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

protein blend (hydrolyzed wheat gluten, soy protein isolate), maltitol, vegetable glycerin, cocoa butter, maltitol syrup, polydextrose, peanut butter, peanuts, water, chocolate, soybean oil, artificial, natural flavors, soluble corn fiber, sunflower oil, salt, soy lecithin, sunflower lecithin, color added, sucralose

Additives: E1200 Polydextrose , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E422 Glycerol , E955 Sucralose , E965 Maltitol , E965ii Maltitol syrup

As written on the pack

VEGAN PROTEIN BLEND (HYDROLYZED WHEAT GLUTEN, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE), MALTITOL, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, COCOA BUTTER, MALTITOL SYRUP, POLYDEXTROSE, PEANUT BUTTER (PEANUTS), DRY ROASTED PEANUTS, WATER, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, SOYBEAN OIL, ARTIFICIAL & NATURAL FLAVORS, SOLUBLE CORN FIBER, SUNFLOWER OIL, SALT, SOY LECITHIN, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, COLOR ADDED, SUCRALOSE. Contains: PEANUTS, SOYBEANS, WHEAT.

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.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
  • E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
  • E965 Maltitol Maltitol is a sugar alcohol made from starch, used as a sweetener in "no added sugar" sweets and chocolate.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • 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.

  • Vegetable fiber Isolated plant fibres, such as inulin, oat fibre or bamboo fibre, are extracted industrially and added to change texture or support "source of fibre" claims.
2 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.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 426 protein bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 283rd. 93% of the protein bars 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 426 protein bars, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0850054108777, last edited 22 April 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.