Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Coke ultra-processed?

500 ml Colas Sold in Canada

Pack of Coke

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:

  • 24 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score E

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

ad cher nutrients, caffeine content (per, teneur en cafeine), par, return for refund where applicable, retourner pour remboursement la ou applicable carbonated water, sugarglucose-fructose, caramel colour, phosphoric acio, natural flavour, caffeine, eau gazeifie, sucre, glucose-fructose, colorant au caramel, acide phosphorioue, essence naturelle, cafeine, md coca-cola ltd atée, toronto, msa 1l1, used under license, utilisee sous licence t 1-800-438-2653 bottled in canada embouteillé au canada

Additives: E150c Ammonia caramel

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E150c Ammonia caramel.

As written on the pack

ad cher nutrients. caffeine content: 48 mg per 500 ml. teneur en cafeine:48 mg par 500 ml. return for refund where applicable/ retourner pour remboursement la ou applicable carbonated water, sugarglucose-fructose, caramel colour, phosphoric acio, natural flavour, caffeine. eau gazeifie, sucre/glucose-fructose, colorant au caramel, acide phosphorioue, essence naturelle, cafeine. md coca-cola ltd atée, toronto, ontario msa 1l1, used under license/utilisee sous licence t 1-800-438-2653 bottled in canada embouteillé au canada

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.

  • E150c Ammonia caramel Ammonia caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars with ammonia compounds.
  • 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.
  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
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 51st. 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 06746209, last edited 30 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of E (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.