Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Garden of Life Organic Protein ultra-processed?

544g. Protein shakes Sold in the United States and France

Pack of Garden of Life Organic Protein

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:

  • 43 ingredients
  • 5 additives

Less processed protein shakes

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

protein blend (pea protein), sprouted brown rice protein, amaranth sprout, buckwheat sprout, millet sprout, cracked wall chlorella, quinoa sprout, chia seed sprout, garbanzo bean sprout, lentil sprout, adzuki bean sprout, flax seed sprout, sunflower seed sprout, pumpkin seed sprout, sesame seed sprout, flavor blend (cacao), chocolate flavors, erythritol, sea salt, stevia extract, vanilla flavor, guar gum, carob bean gum, probiotic and enzyme blend (lipase), protease, aspergillopepsin, beta-glucanase, cellulase, bromelain, phytase, lactase, papain, peptidase, pectinase, hemicellulase, xylanase (lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus plantarum, lactobacillus bulgaricus, billion cfu)

Additives: E1101 Protease , E1104 Lipase , E410 Locust bean gum , E412 Guar gum , E968 Erythritol

As written on the pack

Organic protein blend: organic pea protein, organic sprouted brown rice protein, organic amaranth sprout, organic buckwheat sprout, organic millet sprout, organic cracked wall chlorella, organic quinoa sprout, organic chia seed sprout, organic garbanzo bean sprout, organic lentil sprout, organic adzuki bean sprout, organic flax seed sprout, organic sunflower seed sprout, organic pumpkin seed sprout, organic sesame seed sprout, organic flavor blend: (organic cacao, organic chocolate flavors, organic erythritol, sea salt, organic stevia extract (leaf), organic vanilla flavor), organic guar gum, organic carob bean gum, probiotic & enzyme blend: lipase, protease, aspergillopepsin, beta-glucanase, cellulase, bromelain, phytase, lactase, papain, peptidase, pectinase, hemicellulase, xylanase, [lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus plantarum, lactobacillus bulgaricus] (3 billion cfu)

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.

  • E1104 Lipase A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • E410 Locust bean gum Locust bean gum (carob gum) is a thickener and stabiliser from the seeds of the carob tree.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E968 Erythritol Humectants are substances which prevent foods from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium.
  • 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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 158 protein shakes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 62nd. 97% of the protein shakes 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 158 protein shakes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0658010122368, last edited 26 May 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.