Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Carmans Dark Choc & Cranberry Bar ultra-processed?

40 g Protein Energy Bars Sold in Australia and France

Pack of Carmans Dark Choc & Cranberry 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:

  • 31 ingredients
  • 2 additives

Less processed protein Energy 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

Nuts 26% (peanuts, almonds), plant protein blend (soy protein crisps (isolated soy protein, tapioca starch, salt), soy protein isolate), glucose, seeds 11% (sunflower, pepitas, sesame), honey, dark choc compound 9% (sugar, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, soy lecithin, sunflower lecithin, salt, natural flavour, milk), cranberries 7% (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil), sunflower oil, natural flavours, cinnamon

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin

As written on the pack

Nuts 26% (peanuts, almonds), plant protein blend (soy protein crisps [isolated soy protein, tapioca starch, salt], soy protein isolate), glucose, seeds 11% (sunflower, pepitas, sesame), honey, dark choc compound 9% (sugar, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, emulsifier [soy lecithin, sunflower lecithin], salt, natural flavour, milk), cranberries 7% (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil), sunflower oil, natural flavours, cinnamon.

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.
  • 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.
6 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.

  • Honey Honey, used as a sweetener.
  • 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.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 69 protein Energy Bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 25th. 94% of the protein Energy 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 69 protein Energy Bars, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 9319133332720, last edited 9 September 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.