Is Huel Instant Meals - Sweet & Sour ultra-processed?
Yes, it's ultra-processed
- 1 Unprocessed
- 2 Kitchen staple
- 3 Processed
- 4 Ultra-processed
Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:
- 62 ingredients
- 7 additives
Less processed meal replacements
Ingredients
Ultra-processing Processing
Pea Protein, Dried Grains 22% (Brown Rice, Quinoa), Flaxseed, Sweet and Sour Style Seasoning 15%, Tomato, Coconut Sugar (processing marker), Dextrose (ultra-processing marker), Spices (Paprika, Ginger), Garlic, Salt (processing marker), Acidity Regulator (Sodium Acetate), Onion, Spirit Vinegar, Paprika Extract (ultra-processing marker), Antioxidant (Citric Acid), Natural Flavouring (ultra-processing marker), Spice Extract, Bell Peppers 3.9%, Pineapple 3%, Spring Onion 1.8%, Medium-Chain Triglycerides Powder (from Coconut), Micronutrient Blend, Sunflower Oil (processing marker), Coconut Sugar (processing marker), Corn Starch (processing marker), Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, Maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin K2 (as Menaquinone-7), Lutein (ultra-processing marker), Lycopene (ultra-processing marker), Vitamin E (as D-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate), Vitamin A (as Retinyl Acetate), Niacin (as Niacinamide), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium-D-Pantothenate), Zinc Oxide, Vitamin D2, Plant-Derived Vitamin D3, Zeaxanthin (ultra-processing marker), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Potassium Iodide (processing marker), Riboflavin, Calcium-L-Methylfolate, Thiamin Mononitrate
Additives: E160c Paprika extract , E160d Lycopene , E161b Lutein , E161h Zeaxanthin , E262 Sodium acetates , E262i Sodium acetate , E330 Citric acid
As written on the pack
Pea Protein, Dried Grains (22%) (Brown Rice, Quinoa), Flaxseed, Sweet and Sour Style Seasoning (15%) (Tomato Powder, Coconut Sugar, Dextrose (Sulphites), Spices (Paprika, Ginger (Sulphites)), Garlic Powder (Sulphites), Salt, Acidity Regulator: Sodium Acetate, Onion Powder (Sulphites), Spirit Vinegar, Paprika Extract, Antioxidant: Citric Acid, Natural Flavouring, Spice Extract), Dried Bell Peppers (3.9%), Dried Pineapple (3%), Dried Spring Onion (1.8%), Medium-Chain Triglycerides Powder (from Coconut), Micronutrient Blend*, Sunflower Oil Powder, Coconut Sugar, Corn Starch. *Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, Maltodextrin, Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin K2 (as Menaquinone-7), Lutein, Lycopene, Vitamin E (as D-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate), Vitamin A (as Retinyl Acetate), Niacin (as Niacinamide), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium-D-Pantothenate), Zinc Oxide, Vitamin D2, Plant-Derived Vitamin D3, Zeaxanthin, Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Potassium Iodide, Riboflavin, Calcium-L-Methylfolate, Thiamin Mononitrate.
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.
- E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
- E160d Lycopene Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
- E161b Lutein Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
- E161h Zeaxanthin Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of 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.
- 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.
- Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
5 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.
- Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
- 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 oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
Among 56 meal replacements
From least to most processed, this one ranks 48th. 96% of the meal replacements here are ultra-processed.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5060495116827, last edited 25 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.