Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Equate Meal Replacement Shake ultra-processed?

1.0cL Meal replacements Sold in the United States

Pack of Equate Meal Replacement Shake

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:

  • 39 ingredients
  • 12 additives

Less processed meal replacements

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

Fat free milk, water, canola oil, fructose, cocoa, cellulose gel, cellulose gum, soy lecithin, potassium phosphate, natural and artificial flavor, carrageenan, sodium phosphate, acesulfame potassium, sucralose (non-nutritive sweeteners), vitamins, minerals (sodium ascorbate), vitamin a palmitate, dicalcium phosphate, cholecalciferol, phytonadione, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamin, d-calcium pantothenate, zinc gluconate, manganese sulfate, sodium molybdate, ferric orthophosphate, d, l-alpha tocopheryl acetate, thiamine hydrochloride, niacinamide, folic acid, biotin, dimagnesium phosphate, sodium selenite, chromium chloride

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E339 Sodium phosphates , E340 Potassium phosphates , E341 Calcium phosphates , E341ii Dicalcium phosphate , E343 Magnesium phosphates , E343ii Dimagnesium phosphate , E407 Carrageenan , E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , E950 Acesulfame k , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

Fat free milk, water, canola oil, fructose, cocoa (processed with alkali), cellulose gel, cellulose gum, soy lecithin, potassium phosphate, natural and artificial flavor, carrageenan, sodium phosphate, acesulfame potassium and sucralose (non-nutritive sweeteners). vitamins & minerals: sodium ascorbate, vitamin a palmitate, dicalcium phosphate, cholecalciferol, phytonadione, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamin, d-calcium pantothenate, zinc gluconate, manganese sulfate, sodium molybdate, ferric orthophosphate, d, l-alpha tocopheryl acetate, thiamine hydrochloride, niacinamide, folic acid, biotin, dimagnesium phosphate, sodium selenite, chromium chloride.

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.
  • 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.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • 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.

  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
  • Cocoa An ingredient mostly produced industrially and rarely used in home kitchens.
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.

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

How the NOVA groups work

Among 56 meal replacements

From least to most processed, this one ranks 50th. 96% of the meal replacements 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 56 meal replacements, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0078742456140, last edited 3 December 2025), 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.