Ultra-processed foods have become an important part of people’s diets worldwide. They account for 67% of the calories consumed by children and adolescents in the United States, for example.
What are ultra-processed foods?
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods – fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, beans, lentils, meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, plain yogurt, rice, pasta, cornmeal, flour, coffee, tea, and herbs and spices.
Processed culinary ingredients – cooking oils, butter, sugar, honey, vinegar, and salt.
Processed foods – are made by combining foods from Category 1 with ingredients from Category 2 and preserving or modifying them using relatively simple methods, such as canning, bottling, fermentation, and baking. This group includes fresh bread, most cheeses, and canned vegetables, beans, and fish. These foods may contain preservatives that extend shelf life.
Ultra-processed foods – are made using industrial methods and ingredients that you would not typically find in supermarkets – such as high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and concentrated proteins like soy isolate. They often contain additives like flavorings, colorings, or emulsifiers to make them more appealing and palatable. Think of sodas and energy drinks, chips, candies, flavored yogurts, margarine, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, cold cuts, packaged macaroni and cheese, infant formulas, and most packaged breads, plant milks, meat substitutes, and breakfast cereals.
If you look at the ingredient list and see things you wouldn’t use in home cooking, then it’s probably an ultra-processed food.
Are ultra-processed foods harmful?
Most research linking ultra-processed foods to health problems is based on observational studies, where researchers ask people about their diets and then monitor their health over many years. In a large review of studies published in 2024, scientists reported that the consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with 32 health issues, with the most convincing evidence linking them to deaths related to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and common mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
These studies are valuable because they can analyze large groups of people. The 2024 research included results from nearly 10 million people assessed over many years, which can lead to the development of chronic health conditions.
Based on these studies, scientists believe there is strong evidence that ultra-processed foods are indeed harmful.
What to do about these foods?
Some doctors advocate for completely avoiding them. Swap flavored yogurt for plain yogurt with fruit, for example, or buy fresh bread from a local bakery instead of packaged bread, if you can afford it.
Other doctors suggest a more moderate strategy, focusing on limiting ultra-processed foods that do not provide valuable nutrients, like sodas and cookies. They also recommend eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains (ultra-processed or not), legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Ultimately, the recommendation from everyone is: cook at home as much as you can, using minimally processed foods.
Source: The New York Times