Is Huel Complete Nutrition Bar - Chocolate Fudge Brownie ultra-processed?

1 Bar Cakes Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Huel Complete Nutrition Bar - Chocolate Fudge Brownie

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:

  • 55 ingredients
  • 5 additives

Less processed cakes

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

Fudge Layer 26% (Corn Fibre (ultra-processing marker), Sweetener (ultra-processing marker) (Maltitol (ultra-processing marker)), Rice Protein, Sunflower Oil (processing marker), Emulsifier (ultra-processing marker) (Lecithin (ultra-processing marker)), Fat-Reduced Cocoa, Natural Flavouring (ultra-processing marker)), Dark Cocoa Coating 21% (Cocoa Mass, Sweetener (ultra-processing marker) (Maltitol (ultra-processing marker)), Cocoa Butter, Emulsifier (ultra-processing marker) (Soy Lecithin (ultra-processing marker)), Natural Vanilla Flavouring (ultra-processing marker)), Wheat Gluten (ultra-processing marker), Corn Fibre (ultra-processing marker), Humectant (ultra-processing marker) (Glycerol (ultra-processing marker)), Rice Protein, Pea Protein, Sunflower Oil (processing marker), Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Iodine), vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, Niacin, vitamin K, Pantothenic Acid, vitamin B12, vitamin D, Biotin, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin B1, Folate), Fat-Reduced Cocoa, Sweetener (ultra-processing marker) (Maltitol (ultra-processing marker)), Flaxseed, Natural Flavourings (ultra-processing marker), Colour (ultra-processing marker) (Vegetable Carbon (ultra-processing marker))

Additives: E153 Vegetable carbon , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E422 Glycerol , E965 Maltitol

As written on the pack

Fudge Layer (26%) (Corn Fibre, Sweetener: Maltitol, Rice Protein, Sunflower Oil, Emulsifier: Lecithin, Fat-Reduced Cocoa, Natural Flavouring), Dark Cocoa Coating (21%) (Cocoa Mass, Sweetener: Maltitol, Cocoa Butter, Emulsifier: Soy Lecithin, Natural Vanilla Flavouring), Wheat Gluten, Corn Fibre, Humectant: Glycerol, Rice Protein, Pea Protein, Sunflower Oil, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Iodine), Vitamins (C, E, A, Niacin, K, Pantothenic Acid, B12, D, Biotin, B6, B2, B1, Folate)), Fat-Reduced Cocoa, Sweetener: Maltitol, Ground Flaxseed, Natural Flavourings, Colour: Vegetable Carbon.

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.

  • E153 Vegetable carbon A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • 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.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
  • E965 Maltitol Maltitol is a sugar alcohol made from starch, used as a sweetener in "no added sugar" sweets and chocolate.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
Show 3 more
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Humectant 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.
  • Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.

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.
  • Vegetable fiber Isolated plant fibres, such as inulin, oat fibre or bamboo fibre, are extracted industrially and added to change texture or support "source of fibre" claims.
2 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.

  • 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 377 cakes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 289th. 94% of the cakes 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 377 cakes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5060925291339, last edited 1 March 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.