“Ultra-processed food” is hot news right now. A number of studies have shown that eating a lot of “ultra-processed food” is associated with a long list of health problems including obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and even dementia.

It is abundantly clear that our poor food habits are making us stunningly unhealthy. The fact that there are so many unhealthy food options on the market, is one of the reasons I started Yumbini. Delicious, quick, convenient meals that are truly good for your body are almost impossible to find. On the other hand, describing these unhealthy foods as “ultra-processed” is confusing and inaccurate.

I’m going to explain why I think the term “ultra-processed food” represents incomplete science and results in confusing guidance for anyone trying to eat healthy. The good news for all of you out there, is there is an easy answer (skip to the bottom for the punchline).

INCOMPLETE SCIENCE:

Define terms
When doing scientific research, it is important to define the terms. What exactly is being studied? For example, when studying the effect of shoes on people’s feet, it is important to specify the kind of shoes: sneakers, boots, high heels, etc. If all the different types of shoes are studied together as a group, results may be incorrect or over-generalized. An example might be: “shoes cause bunions”, when maybe only high heels or poorly fitting shoes cause bunions.

Similarly, research studies of “ultra-processed food” have combined a wide range of different food products into one large group. Foods defined as “ultra-processed” range from candy, chips, soda, and cookies to store bought bread, fried chicken, frozen dinners and everything in between. Many times, fast food is also included in the “ultra-processed food” classification. The definition is ostensibly based on the “degree of processing”. But is it the “processing” or some other factors making the food unhealthy? And is it ALL “ultra-processed foods” or only some?

Many researchers are quick to point out that “ultra-processed foods” are often high in sugar, salt and saturated fat and low in fiber. This makes sense because diets high in sugar, salt and saturated fat and low in fiber are already known to be unhealthy. So is it the processing, or specific nutrients (or ingredients) that consumers need to watch out for?

Including fast food in the list of “ultra-processed foods” is even more confusing. I think that in general (but not always), home cooked food is healthier than restaurant food (which is often high in salt, sugar, saturated fat and lacking fiber). But many consumers probably think of “ultra-processed food” as packaged food, not restaurant food. On the other side of the coin, there are almost certainly other things about fast food that make it unhealthy beyond the actual food. Free radicals in old, used fryer oil, and exposure to PFAS from paper packaging to name a few. So, again, it’s confusing.

Change one variable at a time
Another key to good scientific research is to change (or study) one thing at a time. In a simple example, two groups of people eat the same food, except one group, the salt level is high, and the other group, the salt level is low. Of course, this is often difficult because people eat many different types of food every day. But it is important to narrow it down as much as possible.

Testing all ultra-processed foods together as a group has revealed that they are injurious to health. However, it is impossible to know what about this very broad, heterogenous and ill-defined category is harmful. Was it salt, sugar, saturated fat and lack of fiber? Was it red meat? Was it fat content? Carbs? Fryer oil? Preservatives? Specific food additives? Or do certain processes, such as grinding, cooking or extrusion change the nutrients so drastically? If so, which ones?

It is well documented that food processing, just like home cooking, changes the structure and nutritional profile of food. Much of it makes food safer, tastier, and easier to digest. Without some kind of processing, most food harvested would spoil before anyone could eat it. Creating a safe food system is one of mankind’s greatest achievements.

Simple pasteurization (heating) of milk and fruit juices has changed what used to be hazardous foods into safe products we now take for granted. Some foods such as olives, or even grains and legumes, require specific processing to inactivate naturally occurring “anti-nutrients” that are harmful to health.

On the other hand, some culinary practices such as adding baking soda to the water for boiling vegetables, destroys vitamins. Clear glass milk bottles were phased out partially because the riboflavin in milk is destroyed by light. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, nutrients break down quickly after harvest. That means they lose vitamins the longer they sit in your refrigerator. Because of that, frozen and canned foods can be more nutritious than “fresh” because they are processed immediately after harvest.

All this to say: the effect of “processing” (and even storage) on food is incredibly complicated and different for every food and every process. Supposedly “ultra-processing” is different from ordinary processing, but the distinction is unclear. Of course, if there is some, unknown aspect of “food processing” that is harming the American public, we need to find out what it is. But lumping all “processed food” together into one bucket and demonizing it is not going to get the answer.

CONFUSING GUIDANCE:

We certainly need some way to let consumers know what food to eat for optimal health. But, given that “ultra-processed food” is a large group of many different kinds of products, recommending consumers avoid it is not useful. It makes consumers afraid of all packaged food, many of which could help them improve their diets (Yumbini for example!) And it means different things to different people.

Many consumers think “ultra-processed food” has “a long list of ingredients I can’t pronounce”. But this may or may not have anything to do with the nutritional value of the food. If avoiding “ultra-processed food” results in people eating less sugar, salt, saturated fat and more fiber, that is undoubtedly a good thing. But if it means people eat less packaged food and more restaurant food, it is less favorable.

Dieticians have been recommending for years that Americans eat less saturated fat. This means eating less animal fat. In in other words: less pizza, steak and burgers. But these foods are not what most people think of when they hear “ultra-processed food”.

Even worse, focus on “ultra-processed food” creates a virtuous cycle for the rich, who can afford premium products, and a guilt spiral for the poor who are often short of time and money. People may spend extra money unnecessarily trying to avoid “ultra-processed food”. When in fact, a healthy or unhealthy diet can be made from both. For example, a frozen meal can be healthier than a home cooked one. Homemade and packaged cookies are both sweets and best enjoyed in moderation.

Advice to avoid processed food can also contribute to food waste by emphasis on “fresh” and “less processed” options that have a shorter shelf life and spoil easily (fresh tomatoes vs. canned for example).

And finally, promoting the perceived superiority of refrigerated “fresh” food vs.” processed” food is unsustainable and not earth friendly. Refrigeration systems are one of the world’s main contributors of greenhouse gasses, not to mention users of energy. And contrary to what you might think, refrigerated prepared foods are more likely to contain preservatives.

EASY ANSWER:

Fortunately, we can avoid all the processed – “ultra-processed” food confusion because simple, established, easy to understand nutrition advice is already available. Study after study shows the following is best for a healthy diet:

• Eat more: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes (peas, beans and lentils).
• Eat less: salt, sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, alcohol, saturated fat, butter, cheese and meat (especially cured).

Remember, you don’t have to completely eliminate less healthy foods from your diet. Just reducing the portions will help.