Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Gardein plant-based seven grain crispy tenders ultra-processed?

Chicken nuggets Sold in the United States and Australia

Pack of Gardein plant-based seven grain crispy tenders

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:

  • 44 ingredients
  • 4 additives
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed chicken nuggets

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

gardein (water), soy protein isolate, vital wheat gluten, expeller pressed, canola oil, ancient grain flour (kamut khorasan wheat, amaranth, millet, quinoa), natural flavor (sources), vegetable gum, yeast extract, sea salt, cane sugar, potato starch, onion, garlic, pea protein, vinegar, carrot fiber, beetroot fiber, paprika, turmeric, seven grain breading (wheat flour), water, rice flour, oat bran, oats, salt, sugar, spices, millet flour, amaranth flour, quinoa flour, kamut khorasan wheat, leavening (sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar), yeast, paprika

Additives: E336 Potassium tartrates , E336i Monopotassium tartrate , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate

As written on the pack

gardein: water, soy protein isolate*, vital wheat gluten*, expeller pressed/canola oil, organic ancient grain flour (kamut khorasan wheat, amaranth, millet, quinoa), natural flavor (from plant sources), modified vegetable gum, yeast extract, sea salt, organic cane sugar, potato starch, onion powder, garlic powder, pea protein, vinegar, carrot fiber, beetroot fiber, extractives of paprika and turmeric, seven grain breading: wheat flour, water, rice flour, oat bran, oats, salt, sugar, spices, millet flour, amaranth flour, quinoa flour, kamut khorasan wheat, leavening (sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar), yeast, extractives of paprika,

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.

  • 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.

  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • Tree gum An ingredient mostly produced industrially and rarely used in home kitchens.
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.

  • 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 53 chicken nuggets

From least to most processed, this one ranks 37th. 87% of the chicken nuggets 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 53 chicken nuggets, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0842234000520, last edited 26 June 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 B (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.