Dark Chocolate Fruit & Nut Bars

Why Does This Score Ultra-Processed?

In our analysis, Dark Chocolate Fruit & Nut Bars scores Ultra-Processed. That classification is shaped by ingredients commonly associated with ultra-processed foods:

• Corn-Based Sweeteners (Corn Syrup): HFCS is a hallmark of ultra-processed foods.
• Processed Meats (Gelatin): Mechanically separated and reformed meats are UPF markers.
• Artificial Flavors (Artificial Vanilla Flavor (Water, Ethyl Alcohol, Natural And Artificial Flavor)): Synthetic flavors indicate industrial food production.
• Processed Fruit Products (Chocolate Liquor): Concentrates and extracts indicate significant processing.
• Natural Flavors (Pure Vanilla Extract (Water, Ethyl Alcohol, Vanilla Bean Extractives)): Despite being natural, these are highly processed extracts.

Within Chocolate, this product is more processed than about 67% of the 9,618 products we've analyzed.

Processing classification reflects ingredient and additive analysis, not a judgment of any product's safety, quality, or healthfulness.

What These Ingredients Tell Us

We group Dark Chocolate Fruit & Nut Bars' ingredients into ingredient categories and note how each relates to food processing. The notes below describe the category, not this specific product's formulation.

Sugars & Natural SweetenersProcessing indicator

In this product: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate Liquor, Milk, Soy Lecithin (An Emulsifier)And Vanilla), Dark Confection (Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Lactose (From Milk), Soy Lecithin, Sorbitan Tristearate, Natural Vanilla Extract), Sugar, Sweetened Condensed Milk (Milk, Sugar, Skim Milk), and 9 more.

Natural sugars acceptable in moderation, excessive amounts indicate UPF.

Vegetable OilsProcessing indicator

In this product: Palm Oil, Roasted Spanish Peanuts (Spanish Peanuts, Vegetable Oil (Peanut, Cottonseed, Soybean And/Or Sunflower Seed), Salt).

Natural oils are minimally processed, hydrogenated oils indicate UPF.

Salt & SodiumProcessing indicator

In this product: Salt.

Basic preservative, but high amounts indicate processing.

MineralsProcessing indicator

In this product: Raspberry Nuggets (Raspberry Puree, Sucrose, Apple, Dextrose, Pineapple Fibers, Sodium Alginate (Thickener), Di-Calcium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Elderberry Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid).

Added minerals often compensate for processing.

Natural PreservativesProcessing indicator

In this product: An Antioxidant (Propylene Glycol, Tbhq, Citric Acid).

Natural sources but industrial application.