Is Trader Joe’s Chai ultra-processed?

16 fl oz Teas 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
E414 Acacia gum

16 ingredients
2 additives
Nutri-Score E

Less processed teas

Organic Everyday Matcha Sencha Naturals 1 ingredient · no additives NOVA group 1
PURE LEAF Real Brewed Tea UNSWEETENED NO SUGAR Pure Leaf 2 ingredients · 1 additive NOVA group 1
Pure Leaf Unsweetened Real Brewed Tea Pure Leaf 2 ingredients · 1 additive NOVA group 1
Turmeric With orange & star anise tea Twinings 6 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 1

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, sugar (processing marker), black tea, chai extract (water, gum arabic (ultra-processing marker), ginger oleoresin, cinnamon oleoresin, cardamom oil, clove oil, allspice oil, nutmeg oil, black pepper oleoresin, rosemary oleoresin), natural ginger flavor (ultra-processing marker), citric acid

Additives: E330 Citric acid , E414 Acacia gum

As written on the pack

FILTERED WATER, SUGAR, BLACK TEA, CHAI EXTRACT (WATER, GUM ARABIC, GINGER OLEORESIN, CINNAMON OLEORESIN, CARDAMOM OIL, CLOVE OIL, ALLSPICE OIL, NUTMEG OIL, BLACK PEPPER OLEORESIN, ROSEMARY OLEORESIN), NATURAL GINGER FLAVOR, CITRIC 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.

E414 Acacia gum Gum arabic (acacia gum) is the hardened sap of acacia trees, used to stabilise flavour emulsions in soft drinks and to coat sweets.
Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.

Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 220 teas

From least to most processed, this one ranks 197th. 43% of the teas 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 220 teas, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00620444, last edited 7 July 2024), 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 E (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.