Is Trader Joe's Matcha Green Tea Latte Mix ultra-processed?

8 oz Dehydrated beverages 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
E412 Guar gum
E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids

20 ingredients
4 additives

Less processed dehydrated beverages

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

Cane sugar (processing marker), coconut oil (processing marker), maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), matcha green tea, whole milk powder (processing marker), non fat milk powder (processing marker), milk powder (processing marker) (barley malt, wheat flour, milk, bicarbonate of soda, salt (processing marker)), natural flavors (ultra-processing marker), sodium caseinate (a milk derivative), tricalcium phosphate, guar gum (ultra-processing marker), mono- and diglycerides (ultra-processing marker), silicon dioxide, salt (processing marker)

Additives: E412 Guar gum , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate

As written on the pack

Cane sugar, coconut oil, maltodextrin, matcha green tea, whole milk powder, non fat milk powder, malted milk powder (barley malt, wheat flour, milk, bicarbonate of soda, salt), natural flavors, sodium caseinate (a milk derivative), tricalcium phosphate, guar gum, mono and diglycerides, silicon dioxide, salt.

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.

E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
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.

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.
Milk powder Milk powder is milk with the water evaporated off: a preserved form of a whole food rather than an industrial extract.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 60 dehydrated beverages

From least to most processed, this one ranks 29th. 88% of the dehydrated beverages 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 60 dehydrated beverages, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00525121, last edited 16 April 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.