Is Plant protein ultra-processed?
Yes, it's ultra-processed
- 1 Unprocessed
- 2 Kitchen staple
- 3 Processed
- 4 Ultra-processed
Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:
- 15 ingredients
- 4 additives
Less processed protein powders
-
Soy Protein Mince
H&B
1 ingredient · no additives
NOVA group
1
-
Almond Protein Powder
Bob's Red Mill
1 ingredient · no additives
NOVA group
1
-
Hemp Protein Powder
Manitoba Harvest
1 ingredient · no additives
NOVA group
1
- Simple Plant Protein Powder Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Orgain 6 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 1
Ingredients
Ultra-processing Processing
Pea Protein Isolate, Rice Protein, Vanilla Flavour (ultra-processing marker), Sunflower Oil (processing marker), Sodium Chloride, Modified Food Starch (ultra-processing marker), Tapioca Maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), Bulking Agent (ultra-processing marker) (Xanthan Gum (ultra-processing marker)), Sweetener (ultra-processing marker) (Sucralose (ultra-processing marker)), Natural Flavour (ultra-processing marker), Anti-Caking Agent (processing marker) (Silicon dioxide (ultra-processing marker)), Mixed Tocopherols
Additives: E306 Tocopherol-rich extract , E415 Xanthan gum , E551 Silicon dioxide , E955 Sucralose
As written on the pack
Pea Protein Isolate, Rice Protein, Vanilla Flavour, Sunflower Oil, Sodium Chloride, Modified Food Starch, Tapioca Maltodextrin, Bulking Agent (Xanthan Gum), Sweetener (Sucralose), Natural Flavour, Anti-Caking Agent (Silicon dioxide), Mixed Tocopherols.
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.
- E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
- E551 Silicon dioxide A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
- E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
- Bulking agent Bulking agents are substances which contribute to the volume of a foodstuff without contributing significantly to its available energy value.
- 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.
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- Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.
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.
3 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.
- Anti-caking agent Anti-caking agents are substances which reduce the tendency of individual particles of a foodstuff to adhere to one another.
- Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
- Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
Among 149 protein powders
From least to most processed, this one ranks 133rd. 95% of the protein powders here are ultra-processed.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5017174381342, 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.