Is Power Crunch Protein Energy Bar strawberry crème ultra-processed?

Energy bars Sold in the United States

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
Maltodextrin
Fructose
E322 Lecithins
E955 Sucralose
E960 Steviol glycosides

22 ingredients
9 additives

Less processed 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

Proto Whey protein blend, palm oil, flour, sugar (processing marker), palm kernel oil, canola oil, fructose (ultra-processing marker), soy lecithin (ultra-processing marker), natural flavors (ultra-processing marker), citric acid, sunflower oil (processing marker), maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), sucralose (ultra-processing marker), strawberry powder, salt (processing marker), beet powder, water, baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate, vegetable juice, stevia leaf extract (ultra-processing marker), ascorbic acid

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E330 Citric acid , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate , E503 Ammonium carbonates , E503ii Ammonium hydrogen carbonate , E955 Sucralose , E960 Steviol glycosides

As written on the pack

Proto Whey protein blend, palm oil, enriched flour, sugar, palm kernel oil, canola oil, fructose, soy lecithin, natural flavors, citric acid, sunflower oil, maltodextrin, sucralose, freeze dried strawberry powder, salt, beet powder, water, baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate, vegetable juice, stevia leaf extract, ascorbic acid

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.
E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
E960 Steviol glycosides Steviol glycosides are sweet compounds extracted and purified from the leaves of the stevia plant.
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.
Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.

4 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.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 126 energy bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 101st. 87% of the 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 126 energy bars, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0644225730238, last edited 26 May 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.