Is Ensure Original nutrition shake ultra-processed?

237 ml Soy milk yogurts Sold in the United States

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
Maltodextrin
Milk proteins
E150c Ammonia caramel
E322 Lecithins
E407 Carrageenan
and 2 more

51 ingredients
6 additives

Less processed soy milk yogurts

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

Water, Corn Maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), Sugar (processing marker), Milk Protein Concentrate (ultra-processing marker), Blend of Vegetable Oils (Canola, Corn), Soy Protein Isolate, Nonfat Milk, Less than 0.5% of (Vitamins, Minerals, Potassium Citrate), Magnesium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid, Choline Chloride, Calcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Hydroxide, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Copper Sulfate, Riboflavin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide (processing marker), Chromium Chloride, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Molybdate, Phylloquinone, Biotin, vitamins, vitamin D3, Vitamin B12, Natural and Artificial Flavors (ultra-processing marker), Cellulose Gel, Salt (processing marker), Caramel Color, Cellulose Gum (ultra-processing marker), Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin (ultra-processing marker), Carrageenan (ultra-processing marker), and Sucralose (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E150c Ammonia caramel , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E407 Carrageenan , E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , E955 Sucralose

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

As written on the pack

Water, Corn Maltodextrin, Sugar, Milk Protein Concentrate, Blend of Vegetable Oils (Canola, Corn), Soy Protein Isolate, Nonfat Milk. Less than 0.5% of: Vitamins & Minerals (Potassium Citrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid, Choline Chloride, Calcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Hydroxide, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Copper Sulfate, Riboflavin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Chromium Chloride, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Molybdate, Phylloquinone, Biotin, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12), Natural & Artificial Flavors, Cellulose Gel, Salt, Caramel Color, Cellulose Gum, Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Carrageenan, and Sucralose.

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.
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.
E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose Carboxymethyl cellulose is a thickener made by chemically modifying cellulose from wood or cotton.
E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
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.

Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.

3 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.

Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 34 soy milk yogurts

From least to most processed, this one ranks 34th. 82% of the soy milk yogurts 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 34 soy milk yogurts, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0070074407111, 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.