Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is Huel V3.1 Powder - Vanilla ultra-processed?

1 pouch Meal replacements Sold in the United Kingdom and Spain

Pack of Huel V3.1 Powder - Vanilla

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:

  • 53 ingredients
  • 4 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

Oat Flour, Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Tapioca Starch, Brown Rice Protein, Natural Flavourings, Sunflower Oil, Micronutrient Blend, Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Iodine (as Potassium Iodide)), Corn Starch, Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Vitamin A (as Retinyl Acetate), Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Niacin (as Niacinamide), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin D (D2 as Ergocalciferol, D3 as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium D-Pantothenate), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Riboflavin), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate), Vitamin B1 (as Thiamin Mononitrate)), Lutein, Medium-Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Stabilisers (Guar Gum), Xanthan Gum, Faba Bean Protein, Sweetener (Sucralose)

Additives: E161b Lutein , E412 Guar gum , E415 Xanthan gum , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

Oat Flour, Pea Protein, Ground Flaxseed, Tapioca Starch, Brown Rice Protein, Natural Flavourings, Sunflower Oil Powder, Micronutrient Blend (Minerals (Potassium (as Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate), Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate), Iodine (as Potassium Iodide)), Corn Starch, Vitamins (Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin K (K2, as Menaquinone-7), Vitamin A (as Retinyl Acetate), Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Niacin (as Niacinamide), Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin), Vitamin D (D2 as Ergocalciferol, D3 as Plant-Derived Cholecalciferol), Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium D-Pantothenate), Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (as Riboflavin), Folate (as Calcium L-Methylfolate), Vitamin B1 (as Thiamin Mononitrate)), Lutein), Medium-Chain Triglyceride Powder (from Coconut), Stabilisers: Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Faba Bean Protein, Sweetener: Sucralose.

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.
  • E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.
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 20th. 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 5060495114137, last edited 27 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.