We’re hard-pressed to find places that don’t provide access to ultra-processed foods today, whether it’s the grocery store, the gas station, local restaurants, or even your child’s school cafeteria menu.
Among any fresh fruits and vegetables, there are pretty much always snack foods in crinkly packages and sugar-sweetened beverages available.
It may not be surprising, then, that studies have shown the average American’s diet is made up of 60% ultra-processed foods. This number climbs to nearly 70% when looking at what children are eating. Plus, ultra-processed foods are the source of over 90% of our added sugar intake.
Overall, our consumption of ultra-processed foods has continued to climb, especially in the last two decades.
If ultra-processed foods are a norm, why should we care so much about their prominence in our diet patterns? It all comes down to our health and wellness. Let’s examine why eating so much ultra-processed food matters and what we can do about it.
Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to 32 Poor Health Outcomes
It’s important to understand that when it comes to food, “processing” refers to any act of altering its raw, natural state, which includes things like chopping and peeling.
When we’re talking about ultra-processed items, this indicates foods and drinks that tend to be high in “empty calories”, meaning they contribute energy without beneficial nutrients.
Ultra-processed foods tend to be higher in sodium, added sugar, and saturated fat, while not providing many vitamins, minerals, fiber, or antioxidants. Therefore, ultra-processed foods don’t have much in the way to offer our health and wellness — and can even work against it.
Common examples of ultra-processed foods include:
- Soda
- Energy drinks
- Specialty coffee beverages
- Donuts, cupcakes, cookies, and pastries
- Potato chips
- Candy
- Bread, rice, pasta, and snack foods made from white flour
- Processed meats, like hot dogs, bacon, and sausage
A 2024 study published in the BMJ looked more closely at the health risks of ultra-processed foods. They found that ultra-processed food intake was associated with 32 poor health outcomes, regardless of the dose.
In other words, it doesn’t seem to matter how much of these items we’re eating — simply consuming them comes with a risk of negative health effects, so there’s no “recommended” amount.
The authors found convincing evidence that eating ultra-processed foods was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, anxiety, common mental disorders, and death from cardiovascular disease mortality.
While not quite as strong as the above, there was also highly suggestive evidence that eating ultra-processed foods was associated with an increased risk of death from all causes, depression, poor sleep, wheezing, obesity, and dying from heart disease.
As a result, the authors called for public health measures to target and reduce consumer exposure to ultra-processed foods.
While public health measures could certainly help, there are plenty of things you can do on your own in the meantime. If you have a goal to optimize your health outcomes, it’s a good idea to start by examining your diet pattern and recognizing where ultra-processed foods may be showing up.
How to Limit Ultra-Processed Food Intake
When looking to reduce ultra-processed food intake, start by evaluating your typical diet pattern. After all, we can’t make sustainable changes until we have a good understanding of where we’re starting.
For example, you could start by keeping a three-day food journal, during which you write down everything you’re eating and drinking. Then, you can reflect on your lists and see where substitutions and improvements could be made.
Here are some tips for replacing ultra-processed foods and beverages with healthier options:
- Brown rice instead of white rice
- 100% whole wheat bread instead of white bread
- Whole grain or legume-based pasta instead of white pasta
- Whole apples instead of apple juice
- Black coffee with non-dairy milk instead of sugary blended coffee drinks
- Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, tofu) instead of highly processed meats
- Herbal teas and water versus energy drinks
Furthermore, if you regularly eat out at restaurants or drive-thrus or pick up frozen meals consider how you can cook at home more instead.
While these types of meals are convenient, they also tend to be highly processed. Preparing meals at home helps you have more control over the ingredients and nutritional quality of what you’re eating.
Ultra-Processed Foods and Your Health: Takeaways
Low-quality and inexpensive ultra-processed foods make up a significant portion of our food system, making them widely available and frequently consumed.
These types of foods can provide a quick way to address hunger, but evidence shows us that they’re not the best foods to base our whole diet pattern on. There’s a strong association between eating them and a higher risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and mental illness.
If ultra-processed foods are making up more of your diet than you’d like, start by examining your typical choices and identifying areas to make improvements. Small changes add up over time and can provide lasting health benefits.
