Is Huel V3.0 ultra-processed?

60 oz Meal replacements 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:

E161b Lutein
E412 Guar gum
E415 Xanthan gum

33 ingredients
3 additives

Less processed meal replacements

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

Gluten-Free Oats, Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Tapioca Starch (processing marker), Brown Rice Protein, Micronutrient Blend, Sunflower Oil (processing marker), Medium-Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Faba Bean Protein, Guar Gum (ultra-processing marker), Xanthan Gum (ultra-processing marker), Micronutrient Blend (Potassium Citrate), Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, L-Ascorbic Acid, Lutein (ultra-processing marker), D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate, Menaquinone-7, Niacinamide, Retinyl Acetate, Calcium D-Pantothenate, Cyanocobalamin, Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol, Potassium Iodide (processing marker), Ergocalciferol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium L-Methylfolate (coconut)

Additives: E161b Lutein , E412 Guar gum , E415 Xanthan gum

As written on the pack

Gluten-Free Oats, Pea Protein, Ground Flaxseed, Tapioca Starch, Brown Rice Protein, Micronutrient Blend*, Sunflower Oil Powder, Medium-Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Faba Bean Protein, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum. *Micronutrient Blend: Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, L-Ascorbic Acid, Lutein, D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate, Menaquinone-7, Niacinamide, Retinyl Acetate, Calcium D-Pantothenate, Cyanocobalamin, Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol, Potassium Iodide, Ergocalciferol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium L-Methylfolate. CONTAINS: TREE NUTS (COCONUT).

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.

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.
E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.

4 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.
Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 56 meal replacements

From least to most processed, this one ranks 8th. 96% of the meal replacements 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 56 meal replacements, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5060495114250, last edited 6 February 2025), 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.