Is Gatorade Zero Sugar Thirst Quencher Powder ultra-processed?

Dehydrated beverages 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
E133 Brilliant blue FCF
E950 Acesulfame k
E955 Sucralose

10 ingredients
7 additives

Less processed dehydrated beverages

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

Citric acid, maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), sodium citrate, salt (processing marker), monopotassium phosphate, sucralose (ultra-processing marker), natural flavor (ultra-processing marker), silicon dioxide, acesulfame potassium (ultra-processing marker), blue 1 (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E133 Brilliant blue FCF , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E340 Potassium phosphates , E340i Monopotassium phosphate , E950 Acesulfame k , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

Citric acid, maltodextrin, sodium citrate, salt, monopotassium phosphate, sucralose, natural flavor, silicon dioxide, acesulfame potassium, blue 1

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.

E133 Brilliant blue FCF Brilliant blue FCF is a synthetic blue dye, listed in the US as FD&C Blue No. 1.
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.

Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.

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 60 dehydrated beverages

From least to most processed, this one ranks 43rd. 88% of the dehydrated beverages 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 60 dehydrated beverages, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0052000044577, last edited 11 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.