Why is the Chicken Caesar Salad classified as a processed (NOVA 3) product and which ingredients contribute to this rating?

NOVA 3 denotes foods that have undergone processing such as adding sauces, seasonings, or cooking, but are not formulated from industrial substances. The salad includes processed components like Caesar dressing (oil, cheese, egg yolk, thickeners), croutons (baked wheat flour with added oils and salts), and fortified wheat flour, all of which move it into the processed category.

How do the sugar and salt levels in this salad affect a diabetic or hypertensive diet?

With only 1.4 g of sugar per 100 g, the salad is low‑sugar and suitable for diabetes management when portioned appropriately. Its salt content is very low (about 0.16 g per 100 g), making it a better choice for hypertension compared with many ready‑made salads that often exceed 1 g of salt per serving.

Is the milk in Parmigiano Reggiano cheese a concern for people with lactose intolerance?

Parmigiano Reggiano contains cows' milk, which provides lactose. While the cheese is aged and most lactose is broken down during maturation, sensitive individuals may still react, so those with severe lactose intolerance should treat the salad as containing a milk allergen.

Sainsbury's

Chicken Caesar Salad with Caesar dressing, croutons and Parmigiano Reggiano

Composite Foods

Product Insights

The Chicken Caesar Salad is a composite food that combines lettuce, cooked chicken, croutons, cheese, and Caesar dressing. It earns a Nutri-Score of A and falls into NOVA group 3, indicating a processed but not ultra‑processed product, with high protein (10.7 g per 100 g) and low sugar (1.4 g per 100 g) yet a moderate fat content (7.2 g per 100 g). Allergens present include eggs, gluten, milk and mustard, and the salad contains added fats and cheese that raise its overall energy density.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

moderate

Saturated Fat

low

Sugars

low

Salt

low

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g/ml

Energy Kcal136 kcal

Comparative Analysis

Compared with typical prepared salads, this Chicken Caesar Salad provides more protein (10.7 g vs 7.2 g) and higher fat (7.2 g vs 5.9 g), but far less sugar (1.4 g vs 3.6 g), salt (0.16 g vs 3.55 g) and calories (135 kcal vs 175 kcal) per 100 g.

Ingredients

Lettuce, Cooked Sliced Chicken (28%) (Chicken Breast, Salt, Cornflour), Caesar Dressing (13%) (Water, Rapeseed Oil, Medium Fat Hard Cheese (Cows' Milk), Cornflour, Pasteurised Egg Yolk, Chives, Spirit Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Salt, Black Pepper, White Wine Vinegar, Garlic Purée, Mustard Seed), Croutons (6%) (Fortified Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Olive Oil, Salt, Sea Salt, Yeast, Wheat Flour, Sunflower Oil, Enzymes), Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (5%) (Cows' Milk).

84%

35%

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