What is Ultra-Processed Food? Its Effects on Health:

Overview:

In our fast-paced modern world, convenience often takes precedence, especially when it comes to our food choices. One term that’s increasingly cropping up in discussions about diet and health is “ultra-processed food.”

More than half of the energy(calories) in an average person in the U.S., and U.K. comes from ultra-processed food(UPF).

These foods are easily and widely available, affordable, and heavily marketed which has made them part of everyone’s diet.

Several kinds of research have shown that ultra or highly-processed foods can impact your health.

You always hear the advice not to eat much-processed food. So what is this unprocessed, processed, ultra-processed food? Let’s know about these foods.

What is ultra-processed food?

Ultra-processed foods are those foods that have been highly altered and contain a lot of salts, sugars, fats, food colors, industrial chemicals, preservatives, sweeteners, and flavors.

Processing means changing its natural form. Foods are processed to make them edible or safe to store, enhancing their taste, or even increasing their nutritional values.

Almost every food that we eat daily has undergone some form of processing. Methods like pasteurizing, canning, crushing, fermenting, freezing, drying, roasting, and boiling are forms of processing. So, every kind of processed food is not bad for one’s health.

When food is ultra-processed through an industrial scale method by adding preservatives, chemicals, sweeteners, food colors, refined sugar, etc, they become highly unhealthy.

The term ‘ultra-processed food’ comes from the NOVA food classification system, which was developed by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

NOVA’S Food Classification System:

The NOVA food classification system divides food products into four groups based on how much food has been processed.

The four groups are as follows:

1. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods:

These foods have no added ingredients and have been slightly altered from their natural state. This food includes produce such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, pulses, seeds, and milk. These foods are minimally processed to make them more convenient to consume but their nutritional value hasn’t been changed.

2. Processed Culinary Ingredients:

These processed culinary ingredients are made from unprocessed foods through gentle processing. These foods are added to other foods rather than eaten by themselves, such as salt, sugar, oils, butter, and spices.

3. Processed Foods:

These foods are made by combining foods from groups 1 and 2, that are altered partially. These foods could be made at home easily. They include foods such as jam, pickles, tinned fruits and vegetables, homemade bread, and cheese.

4. Ultra-processed foods:

These foods typically have many added ingredients such as salt, sugar, oil, fat, preservatives, sweeteners, artificial colors, emulsifiers, and flavors.

These foods are mostly made from substances extracted from foods, such as fats, starches, added sugar, and hydrogenated fats. They are highly altered and also undergo industrial processes like hydrogenation and moulding.

List of common ultra-processed food:

• soda and carbonated drinks
• ham, sausages, crisps, market bread
• flavored yogurts, instant soups
• alcoholic drinks including whisky, gin, and rum
• breakfast cereals, microwave-ready meals
• candy, fast food
• pizza, burger, french fries

Effects of Ultra-processed foods on health:

Highly processed food contains high levels of saturated fat, refined sugar, salt, and other additives such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and food colors.

These additives are unhealthy for your body. Moreover, When you eat them, you leave less space for other nutritious food.

Food processing changes the complex structure of nutrients in the food, which scientists call the food matrix.

As per research, any changes in the food matrix make a difference in how our bodies respond to it. For example, when foods such as nuts are eaten whole the body absorbs less fat than when the nuts are ground down and the oils are released.

One study analyzed the diets of more than 44,000 French adults for 7 years and found that high consumption of ultra-processed food was linked with an increased risk of death. A study of almost 20,000 adults in Spain had similar results.

A recent study has shown that high consumption of ultra-processed food is linked with 32 health issues.

The following is the list of diseases caused by high consumption of ultra-processed food:

How to deal with ultra-processed food:

Due to its wide and cheap availability, they have become a part of everyone’s diet. So it’s quite difficult to eliminate them totally from your diet. Reduce your calorie intake from ultra-processed foods. Your major part of the calories should be from minimally processed or processed food.

The following tips will help you to cut down the calorie intake from ultra-processes foods:

• Give priority to unprocessed or minimally processed food in your diet.
• Add fruits, and dry fruits instead of packaged breakfast cereals.
• Try to read food labels and choose products with fewer additives.
• Try to cook at home as often as you can.
• Reduce fast food as much as you can.
• Don’t be a chaser of taste as every tasty thing is not healthy.

How to identify ultra-processed foods:

These foods are highly processed and contain a lot of additives such as saturated fat, refined sugar, oil, preservatives, food colors, and artificial sweeteners.

These foods are made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods(such as sugar, starch, and oils), derived from food constituents(hydrogenated fats and modified starch), or synthesized in laboratories from food substrates or other organic sources.

The following table will help you to identify ultra-processed food:

Minimally Processed Food	Processed Food	Ultra-Processed Food
Potato	Baked Potato	Potato Chips
Wheat	Flour	Biscuits
Apple	Apple Juice	Apple Pie
Milk	Cheese	Butter
Pineapple	Pineapple juice	Pineapple Cake

Latest research on ultra-processed foods:

Recent research highlights significant health risks associated with consuming highly processed foods. A comprehensive review involving nearly 10 million participants linked high consumption of these foods to increased risks of 32 adverse health outcomes.

Notably, diets rich in ultra-processed foods are associated with a higher risk of early death, cardiovascular disease, cancer, mental health disorders, obesity, and type 2 diabetes​.

Specific findings include:

• A 50% increased risk of heart-related death.
• A 48-53% increased risk of anxiety and common mental disorders.
• A 12% increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
• A 21% greater risk of death from any cause.
• A 40-66% increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and sleep problems.
• A 22% increased risk of depression​

The mechanisms behind these risks include high levels of added sugars, fats, and sodium in highly processed foods, along with additives like emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners, which may negatively affect digestion, nutrient absorption, and satiety. Additionally, these foods often lack essential nutrients like fiber and protein​.

To address these issues, researchers advocate for public health measures, including improved labeling, restricted advertising, and promoting the accessibility of healthier food options.

The goal is to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods and encourage a diet rich in unprocessed or minimally processed foods​.

The Bottom Line:

Understanding what ultra-processed food is and its potential impact on health is crucial for making informed dietary choices.

These foods are often laden with additives, preservatives, food colors, and artificial ingredients that can contribute to various health issues, including obesity, heart disease, and metabolic disorders.

Prioritizing whole, minimally processed foods in your diet can help you maintain better health and well-being.

Simple changes, like cooking more meals at home, reading food labels carefully, and choosing fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can significantly reduce your intake of ultra-processed foods.

By being mindful of what you eat and making conscious food choices, you can improve your overall health and enjoy a more balanced, nutritious diet. Remember, the journey to healthier eating starts with small, sustainable steps.

FAQs:

Q. What are the examples of ultra-processed foods?

Soda, carbonated drinks, ham, sausages, crisps, market bread, pizza, burgers, instant soups, and alcoholic drinks including whisky, gin, and rum are some examples of ultra-processed foods.

Q. What is the difference between processed and ultra-processed food?

Processed foods are made by combining foods from unprocessed foods(like vegetables, fruits, and nuts) and processed culinary ingredients(like salt, sugar, oils, and butter) that are altered partially.

However, Ultra-processed foods are those foods that have been highly altered and contain a lot of salts, sugars, fats, food colors, industrial chemicals, preservatives, sweeteners, and flavors.

Q. Is pizza an ultra-processed food?

Yes, pizza is an ultra-processed food that is highly altered and contains a lot of salt, fats, chemicals, and preservatives.

Q. Is cheese an ultra-processed food?

Cheese can fall into different categories depending on how it is processed. Here’s a breakdown:

Natural cheese, like cheddar, brie is made from milk, salt, enzymes, and bacteria through a fermentation process. This type of cheese is generally not considered ultra-processed as it involves minimal processing and uses natural ingredients.

Processed cheese, such as American cheese slices, cheese spreads, and some cheese sauces, is made by combining natural cheese with emulsifiers, additional salt, and other ingredients to enhance shelf life, reliability, and texture. This type of cheese is considered ultra-processed.