By Beth Olson
Anyone following news about health in the US has probably heard about “ultra-processed foods.” But what are they, how do they affect our health, and what should we do about them in our diet?
The term ultra-processed foods (UPF) originated from a research group, who categorized foods into four categories. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are at one end, and ultra-processed foods are at the other end. We process many foods to some degree, to make them edible. For example, we can’t eat wheat harvested from the field, so we process it into flour for bread and other foods. In addition to making some foods edible, processing is used to make food safe (pasteurized milk), allow us to store it (canned beans), make foods accessible for certain groups (gluten free products), provide foods for special needs (infant formula), provide convenience (instant brown rice), and other benefits.
UPF are considered to be manufactured foods which undergo a series of processes but also contain additives. This can be confusing because this category includes not only processing (making wheat into flour) but formulation (adding preservatives). Nutritionists debate the resulting inclusion of some foods in this category-e.g. fortified soy milk is a UPF, as are many flavored yogurts.
Using these categories of processing and formulation, researchers have shown that those people consuming a large amount of their diet as UPF have poorer health outcomes than those who consume less. We don’t know whether the UPF caused these poor health outcomes, or they “pushed out” less processed or whole foods we need for good health (think of a couple cookies as a snack instead of a piece of fruit). We also don’t know if particular processing or specific ingredients are a problem. UPF tend to be highly palatable, low in dietary fiber and high in things like added sugars and fat – therefore high in calories. They may be easier to overeat and contribute to weight gain. Although they have been suggested to be ‘addictive’, there’s no evidence of that to date.
There isn’t something on food labels that let you identify UPS. Although it has been suggested to check that the ingredient list is short, or doesn’t contain items with which you aren’t familiar, this isn’t foolproof. For instance, there are healthy breads and breakfast cereals that have been fortified with vitamins and minerals that may results in a long ingredient list with odd sounding names. Ascorbic acid is vitamin C, and important nutrient also serving in some foods as a preservative.
When choosing processed foods, nutritionists will tell you to watch for the same things we’ve been talking about for a long time(!) Read the nutrition facts label and ingredient list, and choose foods lower in added sugars, sodium and saturated fats and higher in dietary fiber and whole food ingredients (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy or soy, beans and legumes). There are many healthy choices among canned, frozen and packaged foods if you look for them. Also choose as many whole foods as you can, and the widest variety of foods possible. Finally, try to plan for grocery shopping and meal preparation, so time and money pressures don’t have you reaching for less healthy options or heading to the drive through. Check out healthy food choices, recipes and more at MyPlate.gov.