Is it ultra-processed?
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Is RAW Protein 30g Protein Shake, Chocolate ultra-processed?

Protein shakes Sold in the United States

Pack of RAW Protein 30g Protein Shake, Chocolate

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:

  • 17 ingredients
  • 6 additives

Less processed protein shakes

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

Filtered Water, Milk Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Alkalized Cocoa, Natural and Artificial Flavor, MCT Oil, Cellulose Gum, Cellulose Gel, Sunflower Lecithin, Potassium Citrate, Gellan Gum, Sodium Phosphate, Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose, Reb-M

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E418 Gellan gum , E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , E950 Acesulfame k , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

Filtered Water, Milk Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Alkalized Cocoa, Natural & Artificial Flavor, MCT Oil, Cellulose Gum, Cellulose Gel, Sunflower Lecithin, Potassium Citrate, Gellan Gum, Sodium Phosphate, Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose, Reb-M

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.
  • E418 Gellan gum Stabilisers are substances which make it possible to maintain the physico-chemical state of a foodstuff; stabilisers include substances which enable the maintenance of a homogenous dispersion of two or more immiscible substances in a foodstuff, substances which stabilise, retain or intensify an existing colour of a foodstuff and substances which increase the binding capacity of the food, including the formation of cross-links between proteins enabling the binding of food pieces into re-constituted food.
  • E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose Carboxymethyl cellulose is a thickener made by chemically modifying cellulose from wood or cotton.
  • 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.

  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
2 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.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 158 protein shakes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 112th. 97% of the protein shakes 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 158 protein shakes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0850057175141, last edited 4 September 2025), 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.