Why is Semi‑Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

It is considered ultra‑processed because its core ingredient is a semi‑sweet chocolate blend that includes refined sugar, cocoa butter, milk fat and several industrial ingredients; the only listed additive is lecithin (E322i) used as an emulsifier, plus natural flavourings, all of which are typical of highly manufactured confectionery.

How does the high sugar content in these cookies affect people with diabetes or those managing blood sugar?

With 57.6 g of sugars per 100 g, the cookies can cause rapid blood‑glucose spikes, making them unsuitable for diabetic or low‑glycaemic‑index diets and should be consumed only in very small portions, if at all, by individuals needing tight sugar control.

Is the milk in Semi‑Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies a concern for people with dairy allergies or lactose intolerance?

Yes, the formulation contains milk fat and milk, which are dairy allergens; they also contribute lactose, so anyone with a milk allergy or lactose intolerance should avoid this product.

Hershey's • 12 oz

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sugary Snacks

Product Insights

Semi‑Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies are a Hershey’s snack that falls into the sugary snacks and chocolate products families. Each 100 g serving delivers 57.6 g of sugars and 26.5 g of fat, but it also provides 6.1 g of fiber and only 0.01 g of salt, offering a modest fiber benefit while being very sugar‑dense. The product carries a Nutri‑Score of E and is classified as NOVA 4, indicating an ultra‑processed item whose high added‑sugar content outweighs its limited nutritional positives.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

high

Saturated Fat

high

Sugars

high

Salt

low

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal467 kcal

Fat26.5 g

Saturated Fat16.5 g

Trans Fat0.10 g

Cholesterol0 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average snack in its category, this cookie contains about 57.6 g of sugars per 100 g, far above the typical 40.2 g, while its fat (26.5 g) is below the 33.1 g average and its salt (0.01 g) is markedly lower than the 0.42 g norm.

Ingredients

SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, MILK FAT, LECITHIN (SOY), NATURAL FLAVOR, MILK).

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