Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Gatorade Protein Bar ultra-processed?

Protein bars Sold in the United States and France

Pack of Gatorade Protein Bar

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:

  • 65 ingredients
  • 9 additives

Less processed protein bars

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

Chocolate coating (sugar, vegetable oil (palm kernel vegetable oil, palm vegetable oil), oil, whey protein isolate, cocoa, soy lecithin, natural flavor), whey protein crisp (whey protein, corn starch, calcium carbonate), peanut creme (peanuts, vegetable oil (palm kernel vegetable oil, palm vegetable oil), oil, corn syrup solids, dextrose, sugar, salt, sorbitol, nonfat dry milk, natural flavor, soy lecithin), corn syrup, brown sugar, caramel (glucose, sugar, palm oil, nonfat milk, glycerin, butter (cream, salt), whey, corn starch, salt, mono- and diglycerides, natural flavor, soy lecithin), brown rice crisp (brown rice flour, sugar, malted barley flour, salt), glycerin, invert sugar, semisweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), milk protein concentrate, salt, water, natural flavor, mixed tocopherols (preservative), citric acid

Additives: E170 Calcium carbonates , E170i Calcium carbonate , E306 Tocopherol-rich extract , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E330 Citric acid , E420 Sorbitol , E422 Glycerol , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

As written on the pack

Chocolate flavored coating (sugar, vegetable oil [palm kernel and palm oil], whey protein isolate, cocoa [processed with alkali], soy lecithin, natural flavor), whey protein crisp (whey protein concentrate, corn starch, calcium carbonate), peanut creme (peanuts, vegetable oil [palm kernel and palm oil], corn syrup solids, dextrose, sugar, salt, sorbitol, nonfat dry milk, natural flavor, soy lecithin), corn syrup, brown sugar, caramel (glucose, sugar, palm oil, nonfat milk, glycerin, butter [cream, salt], dry whey, corn starch, salt, mono and diglycerides, natural flavor, soy lecithin), brown rice crisp (whole grain brown rice flour, sugar, malted barley flour, salt), glycerin, invert sugar, semisweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), milk protein concentrate, salt, water, natural flavor, mixed tocopherols (preservative), citric acid.

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.

  • E170 Calcium carbonates Calcium carbonate is chalk.
  • 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.
  • E420 Sorbitol Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and to keep products moist.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
  • E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
  • 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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Invert sugar Invert sugar is ordinary sugar split into glucose and fructose with acid or enzymes.
  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
  • Whey Whey is the liquid left over from cheese making, usually dried into a powder and used as a cheap source of milk solids, protein and lactose.
  • Cocoa An ingredient mostly produced industrially and rarely used in home kitchens.
9 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.

  • Butter Butter, the fat churned from cream.
  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
  • 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.
  • Vegetable fat Vegetable fats are oils that are solid at room temperature, such as palm or coconut fat.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.
  • Milk powder Milk powder is milk with the water evaporated off: a preserved form of a whole food rather than an industrial extract.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 426 protein bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 405th. 93% of the protein bars 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 426 protein bars, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0052000010121, last edited 22 August 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.