Just how bad are ultra-processed foods for our health?

Americans have a love/hate relationship with ultra-processed foods. We love how cheap, convenient and tasty they are, and we hate the health detriments they’re causing.

A November article published by the American Medical Association refers to their health consequences as “dire.” A large study conducted over 19 years showed a 31% higher risk of mortality for the highest versus lowest consumers of ultra-processed foods, plus an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dementia.

More than ever, we are relying on these foods to make up most of our diet. Recent data shows that more than half of caloric intake for adults comes from ultra-processed foods, and for children it’s even higher with 67% of children’s daily calories coming from ultra-processed foods.

So what exactly is an ultra-processed food? Kirsten Frank, a neonatal dietitian and clinical nutritionist at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center, explained.

“Ultra-processed foods are products or foods that have undergone some form of extensive processing with regard to adding colors, artificial flavors, artificial colors, sweeteners (whether they be natural or artificial), thickeners, preservatives and ingredients to keep them more shelf-stable,” she said.

There’s more that’s important to know about ultra-processed foods. Frank breaks it down here.

Most foods that we consume are processed in some way, right?

For sure. “Processed foods” is really a basic term that doesn't have a regulatory definition behind it. When you look at a processed food, it's any kind of food that's been altered in some way, whether it be good or bad, from its original form. So that may be changing wheat into bread or pasteurizing milk. Much of our foods that we have available to us are processed in a way.

What would be some examples of foods that might fall into the category of ultra-processed foods?

I think of these items as ready-to-eat foods and meals such as freezer dinners, ready-to-microwave lunches, ready-to-eat burritos, Hot Pockets and pizza rolls. Some of the heavily processed foods that have been said to be in the ultra-processed food category include things like potato chips, fried foods, ready-to-grab snack items; so that even could be a granola bar, depending on the type of granola bar it is.

When I’m grocery shopping, how can I tell if a food is ultra-processed?

Whenever I talk to friends and family, and parents of the kiddos that I see, and they've asked this question, I tell them to look at the ingredient list. You're looking for more intact, whole ingredients, a shorter ingredient list without all the added salt, sugars and preservatives. And true whole foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, have no ingredient list at all.

(Editor’s note: Frank said some processed foods, like cereals, have a longer ingredient list because they are fortified with vitamins and minerals, so don’t assume words you don’t recognize on an ingredient label are bad. For instance, vitamin B12 can sometimes show up as cyanocobalamin. Googling words you don’t recognize can be helpful.)

Is it OK to sometimes eat ultra-processed foods?

Ultra-processed foods are not necessarily something that we want to have in our diet, and a higher consumption of that is going to be potentially harmful, but we don't know (from clinical studies) the number of the consumption. What some of these studies are finding is that folks that have been consuming a lot of these ultra-processed foods tend to also engage in more unhealthful lifestyle behaviors, such as inactivity. They’re probably not eating a whole lot of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy or lean meats, and tend to have a higher consumption of sugary beverages and convenience-food items. So definitely, those folks are going to see more unhealthful outcomes and a higher risk of disease.

Is the ultra-processed food potentially taking the place of another food item that you would have eaten at that same meal? The way that I think about it is ultra-processed foods just taste good. We don't eat them because they're a needed nutrient for our bodies. Is your body hungry for something that would be more nutritionally dense, like a fruit, a vegetable, lean protein and whole grain?

All foods can fit in moderation. We can all pleasantly experience eating pizza and ice cream and chips and those types of things, because we have delicious foods available to us. But I try to tell kids, there are “nutrition” foods and then there are “taste” foods.

Nutrition foods are the foods we eat to give our body good nourishment, and our taste foods are what we eat because they taste good, not necessarily giving our body nutrients. Kiddos focus on the taste foods because they're packaged so colorfully and have nice commercials. Not that the nutritious foods don't taste good, but their song jingles aren't as exciting. The ultra-processed food ads and foods have been engineered to really nail us.

What do you suggest for people to overcome this tendency to reach for these convenient foods?

A dietitian is always helpful. In the land of social media, a lot of registered dietitians (look at their name to make sure they are credentialed) offer a lot of free information. Start here as a baseline, then try to seek information from a dietitian if you want to learn more.

A registered dietitian is the person who will help you navigate choosing food items and navigating how to incorporate a process into your everyday lifestyle. They’ll help you with a plan that’s doable.

Try to educate yourself as much as you can. It's tough, because there's so many different ideas when it comes to approaching nutrition. I've heard some people say, ‘nutrition is such an opinion,’ and it's really not. Nutrition is a science, and it comes from a place of science.

As a full-time working mom myself, it's hard sometimes when you've been taking care of your family and yourself and other people, and you get to dinner, you just want to cut this ready-to-heat-and-eat food open and cook it up. I think you have to be a savvy consumer. For the busy mom that's trying to make food for her family, I like semi-homemade meals where you have whole ingredients and you have a little bit that’s been minimally processed. This can help make it quick and healthful for your family.