Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are foods that you would not be able to replicate or make in your own kitchen because they rely on ingredients that you don’t have access to.

UPFs currently make up 70% of our food supply and account for 60-70% of calories consumed in the US.

A recent systematic review of over 100 long-term studies, published in The Lancet, found that UPFs are associated with increased risks of chronic diseases, harm to every major human organ, and early death – with 92 studies linking these foods to greater health risks.

These foods are very easy to overeat. A study done in 2019 looked at the impact of eating either an ultraprocessed or minimally processed diet. The diets were matched for macronutrients, but the participants were told to eat as much as they wanted. The group eating UPFs ate an extra 500 calories per day compared to the minimally processed diet and gained 2 lbs in 2 weeks on average.

And most recently UPFs are linked to an increased risk of colon cancer.

BUT it’s important to note that a healthy diet can still include UPFs. What we want to try to do is minimize UPFs and eat the majority of our diet from whole and minimally processed foods.

Don’t get me wrong- I eat UPFs: chips, protein bars, chicken sausages- things I wouldn’t be able to recreate at home. But I try to balance it with fiber-rich, nutrient-dense whole foods.

And I hate to break it to you but swapping out a synthetic food dye for a natural color additive in candy or cereal is missing the forest for the trees. It’s still ultraprocessed. Or replacing a seed oil for avocado oil in nutrient-devoid chips won’t do much for lowering risk of chronic disease. It’s still ultraprocessed.

If all of this is confusing, I hear you. In the world of nutrition and wellness, it’s easy to get bogged down in the minutiae. Keep it simple by asking yourself a few questions:
“Did this food have a mother?” (chicken, fish, turkey, eggs, yogurt)
“Did this food grow in the ground?” (sweet potatoes, carrots, veggies, veggies, veggies!)
“Did this food grow on a tree?” (nuts, fruits)
“Could you make this at home?”

If you can answer yes to these questions, you likely have yourself a whole or minimally processed food!

Editor’s Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioners with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health program.