Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Kirkland Chewy Protein Bars ultra-processed?

42 x 1.41 oz (40 g) bars / 59.2 oz (1.68 kg) Protein bars Sold in the United States, Bolivia and French Polynesia

Pack of Kirkland Chewy Protein Bars

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:

  • 33 ingredients
  • 4 additives

Less processed protein bars

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

peanuts, isolated soy protein (isolated soy protein, tapioca starch, salt), chicory root, dark chocolate flavored coating (sugar, palm kernel oil, cocoa powder, dry whole milk, soy lecithin, salt), peanut butter, semisweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, salt, vanilla extract), vegetable glycerin, corn syrup, isolated soy protein, gum arabic, chicory root inulin, maltodextrin, sea salt, soy lecithin, coconut, almonds, natural flavor, almond butter

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E414 Acacia gum , E422 Glycerol

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E422 Glycerol.

As written on the pack

PEANUTS, ISOLATED SOY PROTEIN (ISOLATED SOY PROTEIN, TAPIOCA STARCH, SALT), CHICORY ROOT EXTRACT, DARK CHOCOLATE FLAVORED COATING (SUGAR, PALM KERNEL OIL, COCOA POWDER, DRY WHOLE MILK, SOY LECITHIN, SALT), PEANUT BUTTER, SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR, COCOA BUTTER, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, VANILLA EXTRACT), VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, CORN SYRUP, ISOLATED SOY PROTEIN, GUM ARABIC, CHICORY ROOT INULIN, MALTODEXTRIN, SEA SALT, SOY LECITHIN, DRIED UNSWEETENED COCONUT, ALMONDS, NATURAL FLAVOR, ALMOND BUTTER.

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.

  • 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.
  • E414 Acacia gum Gum arabic (acacia gum) is the hardened sap of acacia trees, used to stabilise flavour emulsions in soft drinks and to coat sweets.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
  • 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.
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.

  • 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.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.
  • Milk powder Milk powder is milk with the water evaporated off: a preserved form of a whole food rather than an industrial extract.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 426 protein bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 195th. 93% of the protein bars 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 426 protein bars, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0096619160761, last edited 5 August 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.