Many people in western society, including myself, have been out of tune and out of touch with real food for many years. An alarming number of people have rarely interacted with whole fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, only being familiar with their ultra-processed counterparts.
However, these people aren't to blame. When your store is filled with only ultra-processed and branded food items, there is little choice for most people. More importantly, people haven't been taught any better or know the serious issues that ultra-processed foods pose.
But what is wrong with ultra-processed food? Why is it considered "unhealthy"? What is the alternative?
This is exactly what we will address in this article, helping you understand the risks of ultra-processed foods and give you tools to make better choices.
But first, what are even considered "ultra-processed" foods?
What are "ultra-processed" foods?
The best way to explain ultra-processed foods is to walk through the NOVA Food Classification System, starting with the least processed foods (NOVA1) and working up to the most processed foods (NOVA4).
NOVA1 Foods
What is it? - Whole foods and minimally processed whole foods. By "minimally processed" we mean whole foods that have been cut, dried, or rolled without any heating, extruding, or any other substance being added in the mix.
Examples:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Steel rolled oats
- Wheat (not "enriched wheat")
- Nuts and seeds
- Dried fruits
- Herbs and spices (by themself)
- Fresh, whole meat
- Eggs
NOVA2 Foods
What is it? - These are products extracted from natural foods or from nature by processes such as pressing, grinding, crushing, pulverizing, and refining.
Examples:
- Vegetable and seeds oils
- Cane and beet sugar
- Butter and lard
- Honey and maple syrup
NOVA3 Foods ("Processed Foods")
What is it? - These are foods that combine NOVA2 to NOVA1 foods to make them more palatable or shelf-stable. Usually they are some recognizable version of the original NOVA1 food.
Examples:
- Pickles
- Tomato paste
- Canned tuna (with salt or oil added)
- Freshly made bread
NOVA4 Foods ("Ultra-Processed Foods")
What is it? - I am going to quote an article from East Carolina University since they say it so well: "Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, starch, and proteins), derived from food constituents (hydrogenated fats and modified starch), or synthesized in laboratories from food substrates or other organic sources (flavor enhancers, colors, and several food additives used to make the product hyper-palatable). Manufacturing techniques include extrusion, molding and preprocessing by frying. Beverages may be ultra-processed. NOVA1 foods are a small proportion of, or are even absent from, ultra-processed products."
Examples:
- Ice cream
- Sweet, savory, or salty packaged snacks
- Sweetened juices
- Cereal
- Packaged bread
- Pre-prepared pizzas
- Instant soup mixes
- Shelf-stable baked goods
- Fish sticks and chicken nuggets
Note: With each of these examples, it is important to look at the specific brand or product. There are many which might fall into NOVA3 depending on what ingredients they use or how they process is it.
One rule of thumb you can use to identify if it is processed vs ultra-processed is to look at each ingredient and ask "Do I recognize this? Could I eat that ingredient by itself?" If the answer is yes for each ingredient, then it is likely only considered processed vs ultra-processed.
Even within the ultra-processed category, there are lessor and greater offenders. The more ingredients you don't recognize or the more processing that went into it, the worse it will be for your health.
Why is ultra-processed food "unhealthy"?
There are three main reasons why ultra-processed food is considered unhealthy:
- Ultra-processed foods often contain added salt, sugar, and fat to make them tastier and addictive.
- Ultra-processing strips foods of their micronutrients, thus requiring supplementation.
- Ultra-processed foods have artificial colors, flavors, stabilizers, and emulsifiers that can cause harm to your body.
1. Added salt, sugar, and fat
Most ultra-processed foods have high amounts of added salt, sugar, and fat. In part, this is to make the food shelf-stable, but primarily it is to make the food much tastier and addictive.
"But what's wrong with salt, sugar, and fat?"
In moderation and in their natural forms, nothing. In fact, all of these things are necessary for life.
However, in high amounts and in altered forms, they can cause a number of issues throughout your body.
High sodium levels lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. It can also cause calcium losses, some of which may be pulled from your bones.
Sugar, especially from fructose, will spike your blood sugar and, over time, can lead to kidney disease, diabetes, and other metabolic syndromes. It is added for its addictive qualities, thus inhibiting your ability to make your own choices when deciding what to grab at the grocery store.
Fats, especially trans and saturated fat, lead to heart disease, the number one natural killer in the United States.
2. Stripping of micronutrients
The heating, blending, extruding, and pressing of natural foods can cause the degradation or loss of many micronutrients which are essential for life.
Micronutrients that are water-soluble tend to be less stable under processing vs fat-soluble ones.
The ones that tend to be the least stable include:
- Folate
- Thiamine
- Vitamin C
One of the best examples of this is "enriched wheat". It sounds so wonderful, but this is just marketing's way of covering up ultra-processed foods. Because wheat loses much of its nutrition when undergoing harsh processing, it has to have nutrients added back to supplement what was lost. However, because these come from artificial sources, they aren't nearly as healthy for you and might even cause harm.
For more information about the micronutrients that are lost to processing, I recommend you check out this article.
3. Artificial additives
Artificial additives take many forms, but the key trait of all of them is the fact that they are not found in nature and need to be formed in a lab. These include artificial colors, flavors, stabilizers, and emulsifiers.
Many of the artificial additives you find in U.S. supermarkets are banned in European countries due to the evidence of harm they can cause.
A few examples of the harm they can cause include:
- Behavioral Issues: Certain food dyes have been linked to hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children. The most well-known study, often referred to as the Southampton study, found a link between consumption of certain artificial colors (and the preservative sodium benzoate) and increased hyperactivity in children. This has led some countries to require warnings on foods containing these dyes, or to reduce their use.
- Cancer: Some artificial additives have been found to be carcinogenic in animal studies, leading to concerns about their safety in humans. For example, some studies have suggested that certain artificial sweeteners might be linked to an increased risk of cancer, although evidence is not conclusive and regulatory agencies such as the FDA maintain that these sweeteners are safe when consumed within limits.
- Heart Disease: Some studies have linked artificial trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) to an increased risk of heart disease. As a result, many countries have taken steps to reduce or eliminate artificial trans fats from the food supply.
- Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome: There is growing concern that artificial sweeteners may contribute to obesity and metabolic syndrome. While they are often used as a weight loss aid, some research suggests that they may lead to increased weight gain, insulin resistance, and glucose intolerance in the long term.
- Gastrointestinal Issues: Some artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol and mannitol, can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, including gas, bloating, and diarrhea, particularly when consumed in large amounts.
What is the alternative?
With 80% of food items on shelves being ultra-processed, it can be discouraging to think of a healthy path forward.
However, it is very possible! Not only that, it can be done affordably and flavorfully.
Here are my three tips for how to do this.
1. Build around whole foods
All of your meals should be built around whole foods that you can recognize. This includes steamed vegetables, oats, rice, berries, fish, nuts, meat, and beans.
If you are used to making meals from boxes or cans, it can be hard to think of where to start. However, there are literally thousands of recipes online that are super simple and are based purely around whole foods. You can even use ChatGPT to come up with your whole meal plan for the week based on whole foods.
The key to all of this, however, is to go to the store with a plan and always start in the produce section of the store. If you don't, you'll fall into old habits and go to the processed foods you have been trained to be addicted to.
2. Swap out for healthier brands
Due to the growing awareness around processed foods, there are more and more brands being created that are healthier alternatives to what has been traditionally on the shelves.
Here are just a few examples of products I have been buying and enjoying that are minimally processed with much of the nutrients intact:
Though these brands are a little more expensive than the alternative, it is worth the investment in your health.
3. Meal prep
Part of the reason we turn to ultra-processed foods is the convenience. Life is busy and we need something quick! Especially if you have kids.
That is where meal prepping comes in.
Start each week by preparing bulk amounts of food that can be used for breakfast or lunch each day of the week. This could be preparing yogurt parfaits for breakfast, cutting vegetables to snack on during the week, or making lunch boxes with a balance of rice, beans, and vegetables.
By preparing at the start of the week, you can ease the load of needing to make something fresh for each meal, thus making it much more sustainable.
Conclusion
Ultra-processed foods have taken over our lives and our health. However, as you bring intentionality to what you eat, you can take back your relationship with food and build a healthier life for you and your family.
The most critical piece to all of this, however, is to make sustainable change. Don't just throw everything out overnight and try to start fresh. If you do this, you will burn out. Start to slowly swap out the foods that you eat with better alternatives and you'll soon turn around and realize how far you've come.