Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Tesco Moroccan Style Spiced Lentils & Chickpeas ultra-processed?

250 grams Pulses Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Tesco Moroccan Style Spiced Lentils & Chickpeas

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:

  • 34 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score A

Less processed pulses

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

Lentils 64% (Water, Lentils), Chickpeas 6%, Red Pepper 6%, Onion, Tomato Paste, Raisins 2.5%, Sunflower Oil, Sugar, Maize Starch, Colour (Paprika Extract), Cornflour, Dried Glucose Syrup, Coriander, Paprika, Yeast Extract, Red Pepper, Cumin, Salt, Garlic, Nigella, Cinnamon, Ginger, Black Pepper, Fenugreek, Fennel, Nutmeg, Turmeric, Chilli, Clove, Star Anise, Flavouring

Additives: E160c Paprika extract

As written on the pack

Cooked Lentils (64%) [Water, Lentils], Chickpeas (6%), Red Pepper (6%), Onion, Tomato Paste, Raisins (2.5%), Sunflower Oil, Sugar, Maize Starch, Colour (Paprika Extract), Cornflour, Dried Glucose Syrup, Coriander Powder, Paprika, Yeast Extract, Dried Red Pepper, Cumin, Salt, Garlic Powder. Nigella Seeds, Cinnamon, Ginger, Black Pepper, Fenugreek, Fennel, Nutmeg, Turmeric, Chilli Flakes, Clove, Ground Star Anise, Flavouring.

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.

  • E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • 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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Glucose syrup Glucose syrup is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
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.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 377 pulses

From least to most processed, this one ranks 372nd. 34% of the pulses 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 377 pulses, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5063250538766, last edited 23 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of A (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.