Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Nestlé Chocolate powder no sugar added ultra-processed?

16 oz Instant chocolate powders Sold in the United States and Spain

Pack of Nestlé Chocolate powder no sugar added

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:

  • 24 ingredients
  • 5 additives

Less processed instant chocolate powders

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

reduced minerals whey, maltodextrin, cocoa processed with alkali, soy lecithin, carrageenan, less than 1% of (salt), sucralose, natural flavor, spice, acesulfame potassium (non-nutritive sweetener), vitamins, minerals (sodium ascorbate (vitamin c)), ferric pyrophosphate (iron), niacinamide, copper gluconate, zinc oxide, manganese sulfate, thiamine hydrochloride, biotin

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E407 Carrageenan , E950 Acesulfame k , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

reduced minerals whey, maltodextrin, cocoa processed with alkali, soy lecithin, carrageenan, less than 1% of: salt, sucralose, natural flavor, spice, acesulfame potassium (non-nutritive sweetener), vitamins and minerals: sodium ascorbate (vitamin c), ferric pyrophosphate (iron), niacinamide, copper gluconate, zinc oxide, manganese sulfate, thiamine hydrochloride, biotin,

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.
  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
  • 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.
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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 51 instant chocolate powders

From least to most processed, this one ranks 35th. 88% of the instant chocolate powders 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 51 instant chocolate powders, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0028000813208, last edited 24 September 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.