Are Sun Chips an Ultra-Processed Food?

December 16, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the NOVA classification system, which categorizes foods by their degree of processing, many packaged snacks—including Sun Chips—fit the criteria for 'ultra-processed'. This classification has become a significant topic in nutrition, drawing attention to how our favorite snacks are made and their overall impact on our health.

Quick Summary

This article explores how Sun Chips are manufactured, examining their ingredients and the implications of being an ultra-processed food under the NOVA system. It breaks down the distinction between processed and ultra-processed foods to help consumers make better snack choices.

Key Points

Categorization: Sun Chips are considered an ultra-processed food (UPF) according to the NOVA classification system.
Ingredients: While containing whole grains, Sun Chips include industrially processed ingredients like maltodextrin, flavorings, and additives, distinguishing them from simple processed foods.
Processing: The manufacturing process, which involves creating a dough from various processed flours and adding flavorings, aligns with the criteria for ultra-processing.
Health Halo: The '100% whole grain' label can be misleading, as it doesn't negate the product's ultra-processed nature or associated health concerns.
Health Implications: Diets high in UPFs are linked to health issues like obesity and heart disease, which is a concern even for products like Sun Chips with some redeeming nutritional qualities.
Label Reading: Checking the ingredient list for many complex or unfamiliar ingredients is a reliable way to identify ultra-processed foods.

What Defines an Ultra-Processed Food?

To understand if Sun Chips are ultra-processed, it's essential to grasp the NOVA classification system. Developed by Brazilian researchers, NOVA categorizes foods into four groups based on their processing extent:

NOVA Group 1: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods. These are whole foods in their natural state or with minimal alterations that don't add ingredients. Examples include fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and plain milk.
NOVA Group 2: Processed culinary ingredients. These are substances derived from Group 1 foods used in cooking, like vegetable oils, sugar, and salt.
NOVA Group 3: Processed foods. These combine items from Group 1 and 2 and undergo simple processing to increase shelf life or enhance taste. Canned vegetables in brine and simple cheeses are examples.
NOVA Group 4: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs). This group includes industrial formulations made mostly or entirely from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, protein isolates) with added flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, and other additives. They are designed to be hyper-palatable and convenient.

Sun Chips, particularly certain flavored varieties like Harvest Cheddar, contain more than five ingredients and include industrially processed components like maltodextrin, various flavorings, and yeast extracts. This places them firmly within the NOVA Group 4, or ultra-processed, category. While the Original Sun Chips have fewer ingredients, they still undergo significant industrial processing with added sugar and oil, qualifying them as ultra-processed.

The Health Halo: Why Sun Chips Aren't as Healthy as They Seem

Sun Chips are often marketed with a 'health halo,' emphasizing that they are made with 100% whole grains. While including whole grains is a positive aspect, it can be misleading when the product is still a highly-processed snack. The processing methods and additional ingredients can undermine the benefits of the whole grains.

How Sun Chips are Produced

The manufacturing process involves grinding various whole grains (corn, wheat, brown rice, oat) into a flour mixture. This flour is then mixed with water to form a dough, which is shaped and cut into the iconic wavy chips. The chips are then baked, followed by a mist of oil and a tumbling process to coat them with seasonings. This combination of multiple flours, added oils, sugar, salt, and industrial flavorings is a hallmark of ultra-processing.

Comparison Table: Sun Chips vs. Minimally Processed Snack


Feature	Sun Chips (e.g., Harvest Cheddar)	Air-Popped Popcorn (Minimally Processed)
Processing Level	Ultra-processed (NOVA Group 4)	Minimally processed (NOVA Group 1)
Key Ingredients	Whole grains, oils, sugar, salt, maltodextrin, natural and artificial flavors, cheese powders, buttermilk.	Whole corn kernels, small amount of oil and salt.
Convenience	Ready-to-eat, long shelf life	Requires preparation, shorter shelf life once popped
Nutrient Density	Fortified with some nutrients, but lower in overall density compared to whole foods.	High in fiber and antioxidants from the whole corn kernel.
Sodium Content	Often higher, especially in flavored varieties.	Can be controlled by adding minimal salt.

Why Processing Matters Beyond Nutrients

The health concerns surrounding ultra-processed foods go beyond simply looking at a nutrition label. The industrial formulation and high palatability of UPFs can affect our bodies in ways that a simple whole food cannot. The specific combination of fat, sugar, and salt is engineered to bypass satiety signals, encouraging overconsumption. Emerging research links high UPF consumption with a higher risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other health issues. While more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms, the association is compelling.

For consumers looking to reduce their intake of ultra-processed foods, focusing on snacks made from whole ingredients is a key strategy. This might mean opting for fresh fruits, vegetables with hummus, or making homemade alternatives.

Conclusion

Despite their marketing as a whole-grain alternative to regular potato chips, Sun Chips are classified as an ultra-processed food. The combination of multiple processed ingredients, industrial additives, and manufacturing techniques places them squarely in the NOVA Group 4 category. While they may contain some whole grains, this is not enough to offset the concerns associated with a highly-processed food matrix. Ultimately, for a truly nutritious snack, minimally processed whole foods remain the superior choice.

For more in-depth information on the NOVA classification system, a detailed PDF from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) can be viewed here.

Making Healthier Choices

Making healthier choices doesn't mean eliminating all processed foods, but rather shifting the balance of your diet towards whole and minimally processed options. Reading ingredient labels is a crucial skill, as a long list of unfamiliar ingredients is a key indicator of an ultra-processed product. Consider alternatives like air-popped popcorn, roasted nuts, or homemade veggie chips to satisfy snack cravings without the high level of industrial processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

A food is classified as ultra-processed if it's an industrial formulation made mostly from substances derived from foods, such as starches, sugar, and hydrogenated fats, along with additives not typically used in home cooking like emulsifiers, colorings, and artificial flavors.

No, while the inclusion of whole grains adds some fiber, it does not make Sun Chips truly healthy. The high degree of processing, added sugar, salt, and industrial ingredients still classifies them as an ultra-processed snack with associated health concerns.

The NOVA system is a method that classifies foods into four groups based on the extent and purpose of their processing, ranging from Group 1 (unprocessed) to Group 4 (ultra-processed).

No, not all processed foods are unhealthy. Processed foods (NOVA Group 3), like canned vegetables or plain cheese, undergo simple processing. The main health concerns are typically associated with ultra-processed foods (NOVA Group 4).

Look for a long list of ingredients that includes items you wouldn't use in home cooking, such as maltodextrin, yeast extract, and various chemical additives. Multiple ingredients and extensive industrial processes are key indicators.

Healthier alternatives include air-popped popcorn, roasted chickpeas, homemade kale or carrot chips, or simply snacking on fresh fruit and vegetables.

No, the 'Heart Healthy' label refers to the product's nutritional profile related to fat and cholesterol, as specified by the FDA. This labeling does not affect its classification as an ultra-processed food under the NOVA system, which focuses on the extent of industrial processing.