Should You Be Concerned about Ultra-Processed Foods?

a balanced perspective on a hot topic

There has been a lot of buzz about ultra-processed foods lately, and the loudest voices seem to be in two extreme camps of opinion: these foods are killing us and should be completely avoided, or they are perfectly fine. This all-or-nothing way of thinking about food is a trap I’ve long been trying to help people escape. It’s one that is perpetuated by our click-bait media environment which doesn’t allow for much nuance at all. That’s one of the reasons I am here on Substack---it’s a place I can address these issues with you in a more balanced, realistic way. So let’s talk about ultra-processed foods and how to have a healthy perspective on them.

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

Ultra-processed foods are the most highly processed category of foods as defined by The NOVA Classification System, a tool developed by a group of scientists in Brazil that categorizes foods according to the extent and purpose of the processing they undergo. These are the NOVA classifications:

• Group 1: Unprocessed and Minimally Processed

  Unprocessed foods are those obtained in the same form they are when separated from nature— whole fruit, vegetables, and eggs, for example. Minimally processed foods have undergone a bit of processing--- trimming, drying, grinding, freezing, fermenting, and pasteurization--- that’s done to extend the life of unprocessed foods, make them edible or easier to prepare.

  Examples of group 1 foods are dried beans, brown and white rice, oats, grits, pasta, nuts and nut butters, plain yogurt, meats, poultry and fish, and, frozen vegetables and meats, and fruit and vegetable juices without added sweetener.

• Group 2: Processed Culinary Ingredients

  These are pantry basics such as salt, sugar, honey, maple syrup, oils, butter, vinegars, and starches — ingredients obtained directly from group 1 foods by processes such as pressing, refining, grinding and milling, for use in cooking to enhance the variety and enjoyment of un- and minimally-processed ingredients.  

• Group 3: Processed Foods

  These are relatively simple products made by adding sugar, oil, salt or other group 2 ingredients to group 1 foods. Examples of processed foods are canned or bottled vegetables, fruits and beans; salted or sugared nuts and seeds; salted, cured, or smoked meats and fish; canned fish; fruits in syrup; cheeses, and freshly made breads.

• Group 4: Ultra-processed Food and Drink Products

  This group of foods and drinks are formulated by industrial processes, with the use of chemical modifications, additives, sophisticated technologies and ingredients not typically found in home or restaurant kitchens. Ultra-processed foods are designed to create highly profitable, convenient products that are hyper-palatable. They are often stripped of their natural nutritional value, and they are easily overeaten. They often wind up replacing more nutritious group 1 and 2 foods in people’s diets.

  Examples of ultra-processed foods are carbonated, sweetened drinks, packaged baked goods, packaged candy, packaged snacks, many breakfast cereals and energy bars, and many pre-prepared ready-to-heat products including pies and pasta and pizza dishes; poultry and fish ‘nuggets,’  reconstituted meat products; and powdered and packaged ‘instant’ soups.

  

How Can You Tell a Food is Ultra-Processed?

It can be hard to distinguish whether a food is ultra-processed by category alone---you need to read the ingredient list on the package label to make that determination. For example, some breakfast cereals, like plain shredded wheat, are considered minimally processed because they have simple, basic ingredients, while a similar cereal with added sugars and colors is considered ultra-processed. It goes back to something I always said on my Food Network show---if the ingredient list reads more like it came from a factory than a farm, you might want to reconsider buying it.

Once you get into the habit of reading ingredient lists you start to realize that so many foods promoted as healthy are really ultra-processed foods with a marketing generated health-halo. (I’m looking at you green powders and protein powders.)

Are Ultra-Processed Foods Really That Bad for You?