Is it ultra-processed?
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Is lucozade Original ultra-processed?

900ml Energy drinks Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of lucozade Original

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:

  • 15 ingredients
  • 5 additives

Less processed energy drinks

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

carbonated water, glucose syrup 13%, acids c acid, lactic acid, flavourings, sodium crate preservative (potassium sorbate), caffeine, sweeteners sucra acesulfame k, ascorbic acid, colours sunset elo ponceau 4r, niacin (vitamin b3), sunset yellow, ponceau may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children

Additives: E124 Ponceau 4r , E202 Potassium sorbate , E270 Lactic acid , E300 Ascorbic acid , E950 Acesulfame k

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E124 Ponceau 4r, E950 Acesulfame k.

As written on the pack

carbonated water, glucose syrup (13%), acids c acid, lactic acid), flavourings, acidity regulator (sodium crate preservative (potassium sorbate), caffeine, sweeteners sucra acesulfame k), antioxidant (ascorbic acid), colours sunset elo ponceau 4r), niacin (vitamin b3). sunset yellow and ponceau may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children

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.

  • E124 Ponceau 4r 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.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • 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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Glucose syrup Glucose syrup is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
1 ingredient that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • E202 Potassium sorbate Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 278 energy drinks

From least to most processed, this one ranks 138th. 99% of the energy drinks 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 278 energy drinks, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5054267013063, last edited 8 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.