Why is the Lion chocolate bar classified as ultra‑processed (NOVA 4) and what specific additives does it contain?

NOVA 4 denotes foods made mainly from industrial formulations with multiple ingredients and additives. This bar includes refined sugars, palm oil, cocoa butter, wheat flour, and three food‑grade additives: E322 (lecithins), E407 (carrageenan) and E500 (sodium carbonates), which qualify it as ultra‑processed.

How does the high sugar and salt content of this chocolate bar affect people with diabetes or hypertension?

The bar’s 53.4 g of sugar per 100 g can cause rapid blood‑glucose spikes, making it unsuitable for diabetic diets that require low‑sugar foods. Its salt level (0.47 g per 100 g) is modest but still contributes to daily sodium intake, which can be problematic for individuals managing hypertension.

Is this chocolate bar suitable for vegan, keto, halal, or gluten‑free diets?

No, the product is not vegan because it contains milk powder, whey, and butterfat. It is not gluten‑free due to wheat flour and wheat starch. The high sugar and carbohydrate content makes it incompatible with keto diets, and it lacks halal certification, so it may not meet halal requirements.

Nestlé, Lion • 42 g

Lion barre chocolatée

Sugary Snacks

Product Insights

The Lion chocolate bar is a sugary snack classified under the "Sugary snacks" and "Biscuits and cakes" groups. It carries a Nutri‑Score of E and falls into the ultra‑processed NOVA 4 category, containing 53 g of sugars, 22 g of fat (including 12 g of saturated fat) and 0.47 g of salt per 100 g, which exceed typical snack averages. While it provides 487 kcal per 100 g along with modest protein and fiber, it also includes additives (E322, E407, E500), palm oil, and allergens such as gluten and milk, which may be concerns for health‑ and sustainability‑focused consumers.

Nutrient Levels

Traffic light indicators

Fat

high

Saturated Fat

high

Sugars

high

Salt

moderate

Nutritional Values

Values per 100 g

Energy Kcal487 kcal

Fat22 g

Saturated Fat12 g

Carbohydrates67.1 g

Sugars53.4 g

Comparative Analysis

Compared with the average snack, this bar contains about 84 % more sugar (53.4 g vs 28.98 g per 100 g), 25 % more fat (22 g vs 17.65 g), and nearly 55 % more saturated fat (12 g vs 7.8 g), while its salt level is roughly a quarter of the typical snack average.

Ingredients

Chocolat au LAIT (39,5%) [sucre, beurre de cacao¹, pâte de cacao¹, LAIT écrémé en poudre, PETIT-LAIT filtré en poudre, matière grasse de LAIT anhydre, matières grasses végétales (palme, karité), émulsifiant (lécithines)], sirop de glucose-fructose, farine de BLÉ, LAIT concentré sucré (LAIT, sucre), huile de palme, sucre, PETIT-LAIT filtré en poudre, maltodextrine, LAIT écrémé en poudre, sel, émulsifiant (lécithines), poudre à lever (carbonates de sodium), sucre caramélisé, amidon de BLÉ, épaississant (carraghénanes). PEUT CONTENIR: ARACHIDES, SOJA, FRUITS À COQUE. ¹Bilan massique certifié Rainforest Alliance. www.ra.org/fr .

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