Ultra-Processed Food: You ARE What You Eat

Key Takeaways

• Ultra-processed food make up 60% of average American diet – they are ubiquitous but overconsumption is linked to obesity, heart disease, cancer.
• Not all processed foods are unhealthy – focus should be on limiting ultra-processed foods specifically, identified by long ingredients lists with additives.
• Cooking more meals at home using fresh, minimally processed whole food ingredients is an effective way to avoid ultra-processed items.
• Food industry plays a role by reformulating products, reducing promotion of junk foods, and increasing access/affordability of healthy minimally processed items.
• Ultra-processed foods often high in salt, sugar, fat and low in fiber, vitamins, minerals – displace healthier foods and lead to overeating.
• Experts recommend limiting ultra-processed foods to 25-30% of diet. Shift focus to fresh, home-cooked meals with whole food ingredients.
• Gradual changes like meal prepping and label reading can significantly reduce reliance on ultra-processed snacks and convenience foods.
• Further research needed but existing evidence provides justification for individuals, experts, policy makers to take steps to curb overconsumption.
• Goal should be moderating intake of convenient, packaged snacks, meals in favor of basic whole food dishes prepared at home.
• Limiting ultra-processed food consumption supports better individual health and reduces risk of chronic diseases – a key takeaway.

Definition of ultra-processed food

Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made from ingredients like additives and preservatives that give them properties like being shelf-stable and convenient. They are considered more processed than canned or frozen foods. Ultra-processed foods include:

• Packaged snacks
• Frozen meals
• Sodas
• Instant foods
• Ready-to-eat meals

Common traits include long ingredients lists with hard-to-pronounce components not usually found in home kitchens. Examples are thickeners, artificial flavors, and emulsifiers.

Prevalence in diet

Ultra-processed foods make up a significant portion of the average American’s diet. According to research, nearly 60% of what people eat consists of ultra-processed items.

Some of the most heavily consumed ultra-processed foods include:

• Packaged snacks like chips, cookies, and candy
• Frozen meals and ready-to-eat entrees
• Sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages
• Instant noodles and soups
• Ready-to-eat sauces and condiments

The popularity of ultra-processed foods is likely due to qualities like being inexpensive, widely available, and convenient. Food companies spend billions on marketing to promote their shelf-stable packaged foods as quick, easy meal solutions.

However, nutrition experts warn that relying too heavily on ultra-processed foods can have negative health consequences. These products tend to be high in sugar, salt, and fat while lacking beneficial nutrients.

Frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods has been linked to:

• Obesity
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Overconsumption of calories

One study found that people ate about 500 more calories per day when fed ultra-processed foods compared to minimally processed meals. The ultra-processed diet led to weight gain in just two weeks.

Public health advocates recommend policies to increase access and affordability of fresh, whole foods. This could help reduce overreliance on convenient processed items. With awareness and meal planning, individuals can also limit ultra-processed products in their personal diets.

Health risks

A growing body of research has linked high consumption of ultra-processed foods to various health risks.

Obesity

Frequent intake of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risk of obesity. Some reasons for this include:

• Ultra-processed foods are often high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt
• They lack fiber, protein, and other nutrients that promote fullness
• Additives like flavor enhancers may disrupt hormone signals of satiety
• Their convenience and hyper-palatability promotes overconsumption

Several large observational studies with thousands of participants have found that a 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake leads to a 10% increase in chance of being obese.

Heart Disease

Ultra-processed foods are linked to higher risks of heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Potential mechanisms include:

• Raising blood pressure due to excessive sodium
• Increasing inflammation due to low antioxidant nutrients
• Damaging blood vessels through added sugars
• Promoting insulin resistance and diabetes

One study of over 100,000 people found that each 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake was associated with a 12% higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cancer

High consumption of ultra-processed foods correlates with greater incidence of certain cancers. Proposed reasons include:

• Carcinogenic compounds formed during high-temperature processing
• Disruption of gut microbiome balance from additives
• Nutrient deficiencies combined with increased calorie intake
• Obesity itself being a risk factor for cancer

Ultra-processed meat products in particular have been tied to colon cancer. Overall cancer risk appears heightened by ultra-processed diets.

Reducing intake of convenient processed foods in favor of fresh, whole foods may help lower risks of obesity, heart disease, cancer and other chronic illnesses.

Compared to processed foods

It’s important to note that not all processed foods are unhealthy. Techniques like canning, freezing, and pasteurization help make foods last longer without necessarily making them “bad”.

Processing alone doesn’t automatically lead to health issues. The focus should be specifically on limiting ultra-processed foods.

Some examples of more moderately processed foods:

• Canned beans, tomatoes, tuna
• Frozen fruits and vegetables
• Pasteurized milk
• Dried herbs and spices
• Pre-cut mixed salad greens
• Sliced deli meats

These go through some degree of processing for preservation and convenience, but retain much of their natural nutritional value.

On the other hand, ultra-processed foods undergo more extensive industrial methods like extrusion, hydrogenation, and chemical modification. Numerous additives are used to enhance flavor, texture, color, and shelf-life.

It’s the production techniques and long list of unrecognizable ingredients that distinguish ultra-processed items:

Processed	Ultra-Processed
Canned black beans	Microwavable bean burritos
Frozen broccoli florets	Pre-made frozen pizza
Greek yogurt	Yogurt tubes with added sugar

Choosing fresher, less processed options when possible is recommended for a healthy diet. But consuming moderate amounts of foods that are canned, refrigerated, or frozen doesn’t automatically equate to eating ultra-processed junk food.

With awareness of manufacturing methods and ingredients, individuals can determine which processed foods fit into a balanced diet and which ultra-processed products are better limited for nutrition and health.

Identifying ultra-processed food

Recognizing ultra-processed foods can be tricky since the term lacks a universally accepted definition. However, there are some common identifying traits to look for:

Ingredients List

• Long list of ingredients (usually 5 or more)
• Additives like emulsifiers, thickeners, and artificial flavors
• Preservatives such as sodium nitrite, BHT, calcium propionate
• Hard-to-pronounce chemical-sounding names

Nutrition Facts

• High in calories, fat, sugar, and salt
• Low in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals

Processing Clues

• Shelf-stable for long periods
• Uniform shape and texture
• Hyper-palatability from flavor enhancers

Packaging Signs

• Convenience features like microwavable trays
• Vibrant colors and flavor descriptions
• Health claims unrelated to true nutrition

Examples of ultra-processed foods:

• Flavored yogurts
• Pre-made frozen meals
• Fast food hamburgers
• Jarred pasta sauce
• Artificially flavored snacks
• Sugar-sweetened beverages
• Instant soups and noodles
• Chicken nuggets
• Hot dogs
• Sweetened breakfast cereals
• Microwavable popcorn
• Fruit gummy snacks
• Ice cream bars
• Pre-made pizza crusts
• Flavored nut butters

Checking for long ingredients lists, chemical-sounding additives, health claims on packaging, and lack of whole food sources can help identify ultra-processed items to limit in one’s diet.

Avoiding ultra-processed food

Limiting consumption of ultra-processed foods is recommended to reduce associated health risks. Here are some tips:

Cook at home using basic ingredients. Preparing meals yourself avoids processed additives and gives you control over nutrition.

• Make dishes like soups, curries, stir-fries, omelets, etc.
• Bake or roast vegetables, fish, poultry, etc.
• Use fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables
• Choose whole food carbohydrates like rice, quinoa, oats
  -Flavor with herbs, spices, citrus, vinegars instead of sauces

Eat more whole, unprocessed foods. Enjoy fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, eggs, yogurt, meat in its natural state.

Read labels carefully. Avoid products with long ingredient lists, added sugars, hydrogenated oils.

Shop the perimeter of stores. This is where fresh produce, meat, dairy is found. Avoid inner aisles dominated by packaged snacks.

Meal prep. Having homemade meals and snacks ready reduces temptation to grab ultra-processed convenience items.

Limit soda, candy, chips. Cut down on junk food and replace with healthier options like seltzer, fruit, roasted chickpeas.

Seek out minimally processed. Choose plain Greek yogurt over flavored yogurts with additives. Have oatmeal instead of sugar-loaded instant flavored oats.

With a little prep and planning, it’s possible to significantly reduce reliance on convenient processed foods and shift towards a diet focused on fresh, wholesome ingredients. Small steps can go a long way towards avoiding ultra-processed pitfalls for better nutrition and health.

Role of food industry

The food industry plays a major role in the proliferation of ultra-processed foods in the modern diet.

Some key areas where the industry can help address this public health issue:

Improve access to fresh, minimally processed foods

• Food companies can increase production and distribution of basic healthy staples like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, eggs, plain yogurt, fish, and poultry.
• Affordable pricing models can make these whole foods more accessible to consumers of all income levels.
• Convenient packaging (while avoiding excessive processing) can help with storage and use.

Reduce promotion of ultra-processed products

• Stop advertising campaigns targeting kids for foods like sugary cereals, candy, and soda which hook consumers from a young age.
• End industry lobbying against policies intended to limit consumption of ultra-processed foods.
• Cut back on health claims and misleading labels that portray junk foods as healthy options.

Reformulate products to be less processed

• Simplify ingredients lists by removing unnecessary additives.
• Reduce levels of added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
• Use gentle processing methods that preserve nutrients and fiber.
• Replace artificial colors/flavors with natural versions.

Support public health initiatives

• Fund programs providing nutrition education and cooking skills to promote basic home cooking using whole food ingredients.
• Back policy changes like front-of-package warning labels on high sugar, sodium items to enable consumers to easily identify ultra-processed products.

With a multifaceted approach, the food industry can evolve to promote diets focused on nourishing minimally processed foods critical to individual and public health rather than dependency on convenient but problematic ultra-processed fare.

Nutritional profile

Ultra-processed foods tend to have a concerning nutritional profile that promotes health issues when consumed regularly.

High in calories

• FAT and SUGAR added liberally to improve palatability
• Increase risks of OBESITY when eating EXCESS CALORIES

Low in nutrients

Sources of key nutrients like:

• PROTEIN
• FIBER
• VITAMINS
• MINERALS

Often stripped away and not replaced during extensive PROCESSING.

High in salt

• ADDITIVES like sodium used liberally for flavor, texture and SHELF STABILITY
• Links to high BLOOD PRESSURE

High glycemic index

• Sugars like glucose syrups rapidly SPIKE blood sugar
• Can trigger INSULIN resistance

Lacking antioxidants

Phytochemicals with antioxidant activity often removed or destroyed through industrial PROCESSING at high heat and pressure.

Displaces healthier foods

Tendency to OVERCONSUME tasty ULTRA-PROCESSED products can indirectly lead to missing out on more NUTRITIOUS WHOLE FOODS.

Example meal

Meal	Fresh, Whole	Ultra-Processed
Breakfast	Oatmeal with berries and nuts	Pre-sweetened cereal with added vitamins
Lunch	Veggie & chickpea salad	Frozen pizza pockets
Dinner	Herb roasted chicken with steamed broccoli	Microwavable chicken tenders with instant mashed potatoes

Making meals primarily from MINIMALLY PROCESSED INGREDIENTS ensures a good supply of protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants important for optimal health and avoiding disease.

Expert recommendations

Based on the evidence linking ultra-processed foods to poor health outcomes, experts provide the following recommendations:

Individual Level:

• Limit consumption of ultra-processed foods as much as possible. The more you can cook at home using basic whole food ingredients, the better.
• Aim to get no more than 25-30% of total calories from ultra-processed items. Focus on getting calories primarily from minimally processed fruits, vegetables, proteins, whole grains, etc.
• Read ingredients lists carefully and avoid products with long lists of additives. Stick to food with few ingredients you recognize.
• Beware of processed food health claims which often distract from poor nutritional profiles. Evaluate based on sugar, sodium, fiber and vitamins.
• Make gradual changes like cooking more at home, planning/prepping meals ahead, and swapping out junk food snacks for fresh fruits and veggies.

Policy Level:

• Governments should subsidize and promote access to affordable fresh, minimally processed foods.
• Implement front-of-package warning labels on high salt, sugar, fat ultra-processed products.
• Limit marketing of ultra-processed foods directly to children through TV ads and cartoon packaging.
• Schools should serve freshly prepared meals made from basic whole food ingredients.
• Public health campaigns are needed to educate on risks of excessive ultra-processed food consumption.

Food Industry Level:

• Reformulate and simplify processed food products to have fewer suspicious additives and closer to whole food sources.
• Stop claims that mislead consumers by portraying nutritionally poor products as healthy options.
• Increase availability and affordability of minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.

With a multi-pronged approach, dietary reliance on poor quality ultra-processed foods can be reduced, supporting public health.

Conclusion

In summary, ultra-processed foods now make up a large percentage of modern diets due to aggressive marketing, low cost, convenience and engineered hyper-palatability. However, increasing research links heavy consumption of these industrial food products to rising risks of obesity, heart disease, cancer and other conditions.

It appears something about the extensive industrial processing itself drives overeating and negative health effects, beyond just the high calorie, sugar, fat and salt content. Common additives seem to disrupt our physiology.

While not all processed foods are inherently unhealthy, priority should be placed on limiting intake of ultra-processed items as much as possible. Reading ingredients lists and focusing on meals made from fresh, whole food ingredients are effective strategies.

Public health initiatives, changes to food industry practices, and increased consumer awareness about risks could help curb overconsumption of potentially harmful ultra-processed products. With some effort, it’s possible to shift towards diets where these foods are the exception rather than the norm.

Moderating intake of convenient, packaged snacks, meals and beverages in favor of home cooked dishes prepared from basic whole foods can put us on a healthier path. Although further research is still needed, the existing evidence provides more than enough justification for individuals, experts and policy makers to take steps to avoid overuse of problematic ultra-processed fare.

FAQ

Q: What are ultra-processed foods?

A: Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made with many additives and ingredients not commonly used in home cooking. They are highly processed for convenience and shelf-stability.

Q: How common are ultra-processed foods in the average diet?

A: Up to 60% of the average American diet consists of ultra-processed foods like frozen meals, snacks, sodas, and ready-to-eat sauces. Their ubiquity is due to low cost, marketing, and ease of consumption.

Q: Why are ultra-processed foods considered unhealthy?

A: Frequent consumption is linked to increased risks of obesity, heart disease, cancer, and overeating. The extensive industrial processing itself may promote overconsumption and disrupt physiology.

Q: Is all processed food bad to eat?

A: No, moderate amounts of canned, frozen, or pasteurized foods can be part of a balanced diet. The concern is specifically regarding ultra-processed items with numerous additives.

Q: How can I identify ultra-processed foods?

A: Long ingredients lists, hard-to-pronounce additives, health claims on packaging, and shelf-stability provide clues that a product is likely ultra-processed.

Q: What are easy ways to avoid ultra-processed foods?

A: Cooking more meals at home, reading labels carefully, shopping perimeter of stores, and choosing fresh, whole foods whenever possible.

Q: What role does the food industry play?

A: They can help by reformulating products, reducing promotion of junk foods, and improving access and affordability of minimally processed healthy foods.

Q: Why should I limit ultra-processed food intake?

A: They are high in salt, sugar, fat and calories yet low in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Overconsumption displaces healthier whole foods in the diet.

Q: How much ultra-processed food is it okay to eat?

A: Experts advise getting no more than 25-30% of total calories from ultra-processed items. Focus on fresh, minimally processed foods for majority of diet.

Q: What is the takeaway on ultra-processed foods?

A: Limiting ultra-processed food intake and focusing diet on home cooked meals using primarily whole food ingredients supports better health. Moderation is key.

For more information

In this book, Chris van Tulleken, father, scientist, doctor, and award-winning BBC broadcaster, marshals the latest evidence to show how governments, scientists, and doctors have allowed transnational food companies to create a pandemic of diet-related disease.

The solutions don’t lie in willpower, personal responsibility, or exercise. You’ll find no diet plan in this book―but join Chris as he undertakes a powerful self-experiment that made headlines around the world: under the supervision of colleagues at University College London he spent a month eating a diet of 80 percent UPF, typical for many children and adults in the United States.

While his body became the subject of scientific scrutiny, he spoke to the world’s leading experts from academia, agriculture, and―most important―the food industry itself. But more than teaching him about the experience of the food, the diet switched off Chris’s own addiction to UPF.