Ultra-Processed Foods: What They Are (Not Just "Junk Food"), Why They're So Bad For You, How To Identify Them & Cut Down On Them

Typically, people think of food as 'healthy', or 'unhealthy', but there's a bit more to the picture than a simple dichotomy of good and bad.

Ultra-Processed Foods, or 'UPFs' are actually a type of food in a classification of their own and can be considered the least healthy.

The NOVA classification divvies food up into four groups, on a spectrum based on the extent and purpose of their processing. There are four levels of processing:

1. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods: These are foods that have undergone minimal processing, such as washing, cleaning, and removing inedible parts. Examples include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
2. Processed culinary ingredients: These substances are extracted from unprocessed or minimally processed foods and used in cooking or preparing other foods. Examples include oils, butter, sugar, and salt.
3. Processed foods: These are foods that have undergone some processing to make them more durable, flavorful, or convenient. Examples include canned vegetables, freshly baked bread, and cheese.
4. Ultra-processed foods: These are foods that have undergone significant processing, typically with the addition of multiple ingredients, such as preservatives, artificial flavours, and colours. Ultra-processed foods are often designed to be highly palatable and convenient. Examples include soft drinks; sweet or savoury packaged snacks; chocolate, candies (confectionery); ice-cream; mass-produced packaged breads and buns; margarines and other spreads; cookies (biscuits), pastries, cakes, and cake mixes; breakfast ‘cereals’, ‘cereal’ and ‘energy’ bars; ‘energy’ drinks; milk drinks, ‘fruit’ yoghurts and ‘fruit’ drinks; ‘cocoa’ drinks; ‘instant’ sauces.

Groups 1-3 ingredients form the basis of traditional diets that are considered healthy - for example, the Mediterranean diet and Japanese diet. 

This is very different to foods found in group 4 like these (AKA: UPFs)

How to spot UPFs with food labels and ingredient lists:

You’ll find a lot of ingredients & food substances not often used in kitchens (ie- you don’t use them at home)

• Varieties of sugar: fructose, high fructose corn syrup, 'fruit juice concentrates', invert sugar, maltodextrin, dextrose, lactose
• Modified oils: hydrogenated or interesterified oils
• Protein sources: hydrolysed proteins, soy protein isolate, gluten, casein, whey protein, 'mechanically separated meat'
• Other: soluble or insoluble fibre

 Plus additives to make the final product more appealing and palatable: 

• Flavours, flavour enhancers, colours, Sweeteners, Emulsifiers, emulsifying salts, thickeners, anti-foaming, bulking, carbonating, foaming, gelling, and glazing agents

What happens if you eat a lot of Ultra-Processed Foods?

Consuming a diet high in ultra-processed foods has been linked to: 

1. An increased risk of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. 
2. Increased inflammation: Ultraprocessed foods are often high in pro-inflammatory ingredients like refined sugar, unhealthy fats, and food additives. These can trigger inflammation in the body, which has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases.
3. Digestive problems: Ultraprocessed foods are typically low in fiber, which is important for digestive health. A diet high in these types of foods can lead to constipation, bloating, and other digestive problems.
4. Higher risk of cancer: Some studies have found a link between a diet high in ultraprocessed foods and an increased risk of certain types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer.
5. Poor mental health: A diet high in ultraprocessed foods has been associated with an increased risk of depression and other mental health problems.
6. Poor sleep quality: Some research suggests that a diet high in ultraprocessed foods may be associated with poor sleep quality, which can negatively impact overall health and well-being.

This is true even when analyses control for education, wealth, age and gender.

Why Do Ultra-Processed Foods Cause Negative Health Effects?

There are multiple reasons that interplay here to cause chronic diseases and unwanted health conditions. 

Firstly, UPFs are designed for PROFIT, not for health. Because they are hyper-palatable, they can cause compulsive overeating (food addiction) & mindless eating.

Contaminants in the processing & packaging are known to be Endocrine (hormone) disrupters. These hormonal effects are caused by acrolein, furans, acrylamide, industrial trans fatty acids, advanced glycation end-products, migration of bisphenols, and phthalates.

Changes in food matrix and texture: the artificial matrices increase bioacessibility of 'isolated' forms of nutrients (like sugar), which can cause increase in energy density, eating rate, decrease in satiety, change in glycaemic response, disruption of gut microbiota, and overconsumption.

Lower nutrient quality: A diet higher in UPFs has increased dietary intakes of salt, sugar, saturated fats, and energy, and decreased amounts of fibre, vitamins, and micronutrients

How Can I Cut Down Ultra-Processed foods and improve my diet?

Here are some tips to help improve the nutrient quality of your diet:

1. Choose whole, minimally processed foods: These are foods that have undergone little or no processing and are typically higher in nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Examples include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources like fish, poultry, and legumes.
2. Cook at home: Preparing meals at home gives you more control over the ingredients and cooking methods used. Cooking with whole, minimally processed ingredients can help to improve the nutrient quality of your meals.
3. Read food labels: Look for foods that have fewer ingredients and avoid those that are high in added sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats. Also, check the ingredient list to see if there are any additives or preservatives added.
4. Limit ultra-processed foods: While it's okay to indulge in these types of foods occasionally, it's important to limit them in the diet as much as possible. Try to choose healthier alternatives, like fresh fruits instead of packaged snacks, and home-cooked meals instead of fast food.
5. Be mindful of portion sizes: Even healthy foods can contribute to weight gain and other health problems if consumed in excess. Be mindful of portion sizes and try to balance your meals with a variety of nutrient-dense foods.

The takeaway?

There's no beating around the bush here; UPFs are bad for you. By limiting them as much as practical and choosing whole, minimally processed foods, you can improve the nutrient quality of your diet and support overall health and well-being.

References:

Srour B et al. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Dec;7(12):1128-1140

Buckley JP et al. 2019 Oct;131:105057. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105057.

Martinez Steele E, et al. PLoS One 2020;15(7):e0236738. doi: 10.1371/journal. pone.0236738.36:46