Ultraprocessed foods, or UPFs, are food products such as frozen pizza, ready-to-eat meals, instant noodles, and many store-bought breads that contain a long list of ingredients, chemical additives, and little to no “whole” foods.
Understanding ultraprocessed foods is tricky, as even experts don’t fully agree on what they specifically are and whether they are good or bad. However, a 2024 study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health also found that a high intake of ultraprocessed foods may increase the risk of early death. Participants who ate the most ultraprocessed foods of any kind had a 4% higher risk of death from any cause and an 8% higher risk of death from neurodegenerative diseases. And according to the Yale School of Public Health, high ultraprocessed food intake has been linked to a 25%-58% higher risk of health issues related to the heart and metabolism, and a 21%-66% higher risk of mortality.
People who eat more ultraprocessed foods may tend to eat more calories overall. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that 53% of the calories that adults consumed daily, on average, came from ultraprocessed foods between 2021 and 2023. For children 18 years old and younger, it is 61.9%. Scientists are studying whether ultraprocessed foods high in saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium may mimic addictive substances in some people, and if they do, how they may do so.
Some ultraprocessed foods may contribute to poorer health outcomes. Examples of this include:
- They may displace or replace healthier foods
- They could lead to eating too many calories
- They may result in eating too much saturated fat, added sugars, or sodium
- They may influence how the brain responds to these foods
- The changed textures may trigger the brain to stay hungry even after eating
- They can potentially disrupt blood sugar
- They can potentially disrupt your gut health
- They could cause exposure to toxins
The recommendation to limit the intake of ultraprocessed foods reinforces the long-standing nutrition guidance to limit unhealthy fats, added sugars, and sodium. A diet composed mainly of ultraprocessed foods also exposes people to unhealthy additives and increases the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.
The best way to identify ultraprocessed foods is to read the packaging of the product to see if its list of ingredients contains either food substances never or rarely used in kitchens, such as high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated or interesterified oils, and hydrolyzed proteins. Or it may contain classes of additives designed to make the final product palatable or more appealing, such as flavors, flavor enhancers, colors, emulsifiers, emulsifying salts, sweeteners, thickeners, and anti-foaming, bulking, carbonating, foaming, gelling, and glazing agents.
It is important to note that an overall healthy diet pattern should focus on eating healthier options such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, healthy non-tropical oils, and lean proteins.
The Yale School of Public Health offers four ways to reduce ultraprocessed foods in your diet. They include:
- Planning and preparing meals at home in advance that use less processed and ultraprocessed foods
- Drinking water and unsweetened beverages such as coffee and tea instead of soda and other sweetened drinks
- Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, if they are available to you. If they are not available, choose minimally processed frozen or canned options with no added salt or sugar
- Adding an unprocessed fruit or vegetable to your meal if an ultraprocessed food is your only option and you are short on time. And to choose an ultraprocessed food option with less sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar
If you would like to learn more about Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s nutritional services, you can visit the Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.