Is Coca-Cola Low Kilojoule Soft Drink ultra-processed?

Colas Sold in the United States

Pack of Coca-Cola Low Kilojoule Soft Drink

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:

  • 11 ingredients
  • 6 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed colas

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

carbonated water, caramel (ultra-processing marker), phosphoric acid, citric acid, non-nutritive sweeteners (aspartame (ultra-processing marker), acesulfame K (ultra-processing marker)), flavourings (ultra-processing marker), sodium benzoate, caffeine, phenylalanine

Additives: E150 Caramel , E211 Sodium benzoate , E330 Citric acid , E338 Phosphoric acid , E950 Acesulfame k , E951 Aspartame

As written on the pack

carbonated water, colourant (caramel), acidulants (phosphoric acid, citric acid), non-nutritive sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame K), flavourings, preservative (sodium benzoate), caffeine, phenylalanine

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.

  • E150 Caramel A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • E951 Aspartame Aspartame is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, used in diet drinks and sugar-free products.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
1 ingredient that would only make it processed

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

  • Sodas Products in the category "Sodas" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 142 colas

From least to most processed, this one ranks 72nd. 99% of the colas 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 142 colas, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5449000664693, last edited 8 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.