What you need to know about ultra-processed foods

July 25, 2024 – As nutrition researchers publish more studies processed food When it comes to health issues, the conclusion is clear: processed foods are bad for you, and the more processed they are, the worse it seems to be. At the same time, not all processed foods are harmful, and scientists are still trying to understand the specific aspects that should be avoided.

In the United States, more than half of our energy intake comes from ultra-processed foods, which include a wide range of prepared products such as packaged snacks, carbonated beverages, instant noodles, and packaged meats. Typically, these products contain additives to enhance flavor, texture, appearance, and shelf life, and are often high in calories, salt, sugar, and saturated fat, and low in dietary fiber, nutrients, and vitamins.

In February 2024, researchers from the United States and Australia Published research in BMJ The study, which used data from almost 10 million people, found links between ultra-processed foods and 32 other areas of health, including death, cancer, and problems related to the brain, heart, lungs, stomach and metabolism. Food was also linked to poor sleep, anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses.

Yet the U.S. food supply and dietary preferences have changed dramatically since data were first collected in the mid-1990s. The associations between food processing and health risks may now be even more dramatic and clearer, and further research is needed.

“Our findings support previous research showing that consumption of ultra-processed foods has negative effects on health and longevity,” said National Cancer Institute researcher Erica Loftfield, PhD, MPH, who presented the findings at the American College of Nutrition annual meeting in July.

“But there's still a lot we don't know, including what aspects of ultra-processed foods pose potential risks to health,” she said.

Processing or baking food destroys nutrients

Looking specifically at grains, processing makes a big difference: Refined flour and bread had 72% less major minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium compared to whole wheat, and 64% less trace minerals like copper, iron and zinc. Additionally, both refined and whole wheat products were found to have less vitamin E and carotenoids (compounds related to vitamin A) than raw wheat kernels.

The researchers compared two menus that reflected the typical Western diet: one that emphasized minimally processed (20% of calories) and one that emphasized ultra-processed (67% of calories). They found that the less processed menu was more than twice as expensive and had a shelf life three times faster, but contained no additional nutritional value.

“While highly and less processed diets may have similar (or less) nutritional value, more processed diets may have a longer shelf life and may cost less,” said Julie Hess, PhD, a research nutritionist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service's Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota, who presented her findings at the ASN meeting.

As an example, the team compared a Western breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and bread with jam. In the less processed diet, the bread and jam were homemade and the eggs and potatoes were whole and unprocessed, whereas the more processed diet included packaged bread, jam, eggs, and tator tots.

“Considering food processing alone is not enough to build a nutritious diet,” Hess says. “The concepts of ultra-processed and minimally processed foods need to be more clearly defined by the nutrition research community.”

In general, it's best to choose leaner meats like turkey, chicken, ham, and roast beef instead of fatty, high-salt meats like bologna and salami. Ask for low-sodium or uncured meats, and choose fresh meats over prepackaged slices.

“Deli meats that are freshly cut from the bone or chunks of meat contain naturally occurring nitrates and may be less processed, so buy nitrate-free, low-sodium varieties when possible,” says Julia Zumpano, RD, registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic.

Choosing other sandwich ingredients can help you cut down on your processed meat intake, she says, especially choosing eggs, nut butters, natural cheeses, tempeh, tofu, and beans. You can also choose to make your own sandwich meat if you have the time and ability, which may not be possible for everyone.

“You can buy roasts, hams, and chicken breasts and cook them yourself, then cut them into lunch-meat-sized pieces,” she says. “That way you know what you're eating.”

When it comes to other ultra-processed foods, looking at food labels and making small substitutions can help. Focusing on cutting back on sugar, salt and saturated fat and increasing fiber, protein and unsaturated fats can help reduce health risks, improve the quality of your diet and lead to a healthier life.