Is Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein ultra-processed?

24.5 oz Protein Energy Bars Sold in the United States and Ireland

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
Milk proteins
Cocoa powder
E322 Lecithins
E950 Acesulfame k

10 ingredients
3 additives

Less processed protein Energy 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

Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate (ultra-processing marker), Whey Protein (ultra-processing marker), Hydrolyzed Whey Protein), Cocoa Powder (ultra-processing marker), Sunflower Lecithin (ultra-processing marker), Soy Lecithin (ultra-processing marker), Natural Flavor (ultra-processing marker), Artificial Flavor (ultra-processing marker), Acesulfame Potassium (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E950 Acesulfame k

As written on the pack

Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Hydrolyzed Whey Protein), Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Sunflower Lecithin and/or Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Artificial Flavor, Acesulfame Potassium. CONTAINS: Milk, Soy.

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.
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.

Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
Cocoa powder An ingredient mostly produced industrially and rarely used in home kitchens.

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.

Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 69 protein Energy Bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 34th. 94% of the protein Energy 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 69 protein Energy Bars, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0748927069532, last edited 4 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.