Is Protein Chocolate & Cranberries Safe? Ingredient Analysis
Nature Valley
This page reviews Protein Chocolate & Cranberries by Nature Valley as a snack. Its current score is 55/100, suggesting that it shows multiple flagged ingredients that may matter for sensitive users.
If you want the short version, start with these flagged ingredients: Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Maltodextrin.
55 / 100
Why score is 55
The product contains several processed ingredients like glucose syrup and maltodextrin, which raise quality concerns. Additionally, the presence of sugar and fructose indicates a high level of sweetness, impacting overall composition quality.
Main concern
High sugar content from sugar and glucose syrup raises concerns about excessive sweetness.
Why it matters: This ingredient is flagged in our analysis based on regulatory and scientific sources. Check the Ingredients section for details and see Data sources for methodology.
Regulation status: Ingredient safety is assessed from EU/EPA/CIR and similar databases; formulations may vary. Always read the product label.
Pros
- Contains roasted peanuts, providing a source of healthy fats and protein.
- Includes cranberry pieces, which add some fruit content to the snack.
Concerns
- High sugar content from sugar and glucose syrup raises concerns about excessive sweetness.
- Presence of maltodextrin and emulsifiers indicates a highly processed composition.
Who should avoid this product?
You may want to be cautious with this product if you are:
- people with sensitive skin or fragrance sensitivity
- people avoiding animal-derived ingredients
Ingredients breakdown
The ingredient notes below are written to explain what each ingredient does in this snack and why it matters.
-
Is Roasted Peanuts safe in this snack?
Good
Roasted Peanuts is used here as base. Roasted peanuts provide a source of healthy fats and protein, contributing positively to the snack's nutritional profile.
Role in formula: base
Original: Roasted peanuts (33.4%)
-
Is Isolated Soy Protein safe in this snack?
Medium
Isolated Soy Protein is used here as base. Isolated soy protein serves as a protein source but is a processed ingredient, raising some quality concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: isolated soy protein
-
Is Oligofructose safe in this snack?
Medium
Oligofructose is used here as sweetener. Oligofructose is a processed fiber that can act as a sweetener, but its processing raises questions about overall ingredient quality.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: oligofructose
-
Is Glucose Syrup safe in this snack?
Bad
Glucose Syrup is used here as sweetener. Glucose syrup is a highly processed sweetener that contributes to the product's high sugar content, raising quality concerns.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: glucose syrup
-
Is Vegetable Oils And Fats safe in this snack?
Medium
Vegetable Oils And Fats is used here as base. The blend of vegetable oils and fats provides texture but may include less desirable oils like palm oil, raising health concerns.
Role in formula: base
Original: vegetable oils and fats (sunflower, palm, shea, rapeseed)
Read the full ingredient profile for Vegetable Oils And Fats
-
Is Sugar safe in this snack?
Bad
Sugar is used here as sweetener. Sugar is a common sweetener that contributes to the overall sweetness and calorie content, raising concerns about excessive sugar intake.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: sugar
-
Is Maltodextrin safe in this snack?
Bad
Maltodextrin is used here as thickener. Maltodextrin is a processed carbohydrate that can spike blood sugar levels, raising concerns about its health implications.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: maltodextrin
-
Is Cranberry Pieces safe in this snack?
Good
Cranberry Pieces is used here as base. Cranberry pieces add fruit content and some antioxidants, contributing positively to the snack's overall profile.
Role in formula: base
Original: cranberry pieces (3.5%)
-
Is Chocolate Pieces safe in this snack?
Medium
Chocolate Pieces is used here as flavor. Chocolate pieces provide flavor but contain sugar and cocoa mass, which may contribute to the overall sweetness.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: chocolate pieces (3%) [sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, emulsifier (lecithins (soy))]
-
Is Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder safe in this snack?
Medium
Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder is used here as flavor. Fat reduced cocoa powder adds chocolate flavor with lower fat content, but its processing raises some quality concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: fat reduced cocoa powder
Read the full ingredient profile for Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder
-
Is Fructose safe in this snack?
Bad
Fructose is used here as sweetener. Fructose is a simple sugar that can contribute to sweetness and may have negative health implications when consumed in excess.
Role in formula: sweetener
Original: fructose
-
Is Tapioca Starch safe in this snack?
Medium
Tapioca Starch is used here as thickener. Tapioca starch is used for texture but is a processed ingredient, which may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: thickener
Original: tapioca starch
-
Is Lactose Humectant safe in this snack?
Medium
Lactose Humectant is used here as humectant. Lactose humectant helps retain moisture but is a processed ingredient, raising some quality concerns.
Role in formula: humectant
Original: lactose humectant (alycerol)
-
Is Salt safe in this snack?
Good
Salt is used here as base. Salt enhances flavor and is a common ingredient in snacks, contributing positively to taste.
Role in formula: base
Original: salt
-
Is Emulsifiers safe in this snack?
Medium
Emulsifiers is used here as emulsifier. Emulsifiers like lecithins help blend ingredients but are processed, raising some quality concerns.
Role in formula: emulsifier
Original: emulsifiers (lecithins (soy))
-
Is Natural Flavouring safe in this snack?
Medium
Natural Flavouring is used here as flavor. Natural flavouring adds taste but is a processed ingredient, which may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: natural flavouring (milk)
-
Is Stabiliser safe in this snack?
Medium
Stabiliser is used here as stabilizer. Calcium carbonate is used as a stabilizer but is a processed ingredient, raising some quality concerns.
Role in formula: stabilizer
Original: stabiliser (calcium carbonate)
-
Is Strawberry Flavouring safe in this snack?
Medium
Strawberry Flavouring is used here as flavor. Strawberry flavouring adds taste but is a processed ingredient, which may raise quality concerns.
Role in formula: flavor
Original: strawberry flavouring
How we score
Our safety scores and ingredient breakdowns are based on regulatory and scientific sources. See Data sources & methodology and How Zerotox works for full details.
Product info
Product ID: 4154281
More from this brand: Nature Valley products in Zerotox
Similar products: snack in Zerotox database
Allergens detected: soy , peanut , milk
Report / complain: You may report errors or complain about this product or its formulation to hello [at] zeroto.app . Published for transparency.