{"id":8365,"date":"2021-08-29T18:36:04","date_gmt":"2021-08-29T18:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenchoicenow.com\/v\/?p=8365"},"modified":"2021-10-04T19:51:00","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T19:51:00","slug":"ultra-processed-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenchoicenow.com\/v\/ultra-processed-food","title":{"rendered":"Ultra-Processed Food: What Is It and Can It Fit Into a Healthy Diet?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\u2019ll come right out and say it \u2013 despite what many of us have been told, processed foods aren\u2019t killing you. It’s what’s been added (or removed) that really matters.

Processed foods get a bad rap, but the truth is that they\u2019re not inherently \u201cbad.\u201d<\/strong>

The term processed<\/em> just means changed.

In the case of food, it refers to the methods by which fresh foods<\/a> are turned into food products (1<\/a>). The key is the level of processing<\/a>:<\/strong>

Imagine you have an apple, in its whole, natural form \u2013 that\u2019s unprocessed.

That apple gets turned into applesauce. It\u2019s been physically processed, via cooking, into something different from its natural state, but it still contains many of the same nutrients and fiber that apples have.

Now, think about something like Apple Jacks. That apple was turned into apple juice concentrate and combined with sugar, hydrogenated oil, artificial additives, food dyes, and other ingredients.

That would be your example of ultra-processed food,<\/strong> and it looks and tastes pretty far off from the natural ingredients<\/a> it came from.

Compared to processed food, “ultra-processed” food typically has a number of additives that wouldn’t be found in food prepared from whole ingredients at home (2<\/a>) \u2013 this includes ingredients like food dyes, artificial sweeteners, nutritional supplements, gums, and preservatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"ultra<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We encounter these foods at all different stages of their processing. In the grocery store center aisle, almost everything that comes in a package has been processed in some way, whether cooked, pasteurized, canned, frozen, or dehydrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ultra-Processed Food Has Its Advantages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Though processed foods wouldn’t be the first thing to come to mind when we think of important public health interventions, they have actually played an extremely influential role in improving our health.

On one hand, fortification<\/a> \u2013 adding nutrients to food \u2013 is a type of processing that has clear-cut advantages for health.

Given that the average American consumes less whole fruits, vegetables, and grains than recommended, fortified foods play an important role in preventing widespread nutrient deficiencies.

Processing also helps food stay fresh for longer, preventing waste and allowing our food supply to remain safe, shelf-stable, and highly accessible (3<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Downsides of Ultra-Processed Food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, most ultra-processed food items are stripped of the nutrients found in their whole form and have added ingredients that are linked to negative health outcomes.

Cookies, chips, baked goods, and other processed snacks and sweets tend to contain coconut, palm, and palm kernel oil. These ingredients are high in saturated fat, which is associated with heart disease, cancer, and obesity. The Dietary Reference suggests that we obtain less than 10% of our daily calorie intake from saturated fat (4<\/a>).

Like saturated fats, trans fats can also be found in ultra-processed food and contribute to raising blood cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart disease and death from heart failure.

Ultra-processed food tends to be higher in sodium, added sugar<\/a>, and potentially harmful food additives and preservatives. Added sugar, in particular, is linked to numerous health risks, including liver disease, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes (5<\/a>).

Additionally, high heat and pressure that occurs in most food processing methods tend to remove many essential nutrients and fiber from food products.

For example, grains are important because they can provide a variety of important nutrients, including folate, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, iron, magnesium, selenium, and fiber. But when they are processed into refined grains<\/a>, these nutrients and fiber are stripped away. As a result, glucose enters the bloodstream much more quickly, which causes fluctuations in blood sugar that are correlated with diabetes and other health issues. (3<\/a>, 6<\/a>, 7<\/a>).

For these reasons, ultra-processed foods provide close to 60% of energy intake and 90% of added sugars in the American diet<\/strong> (8<\/a>).

For these reasons, studies have linked an increased intake of ultra-processed foods with an increased risk of heart disease and overall mortality (9<\/a>).

Ultra-processed foods tend to be what many refer to as \u201cempty calories\u201d \u2013 high in energy but provide little to no nutritional value.

Fiber<\/a>, for example, helps us feel fuller for longer, provides sustained energy throughout the day, and aids indigestion. However, it\u2019s often missing in ultra-processed foods, which is why we might experience that lethargic feeling after eating a highly processed meal that we usually call \u201ca sugar crash\u201d (10<\/a>, 11<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Shopping for Processed Food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, processed foods offer the convenience that most of us are looking for when shopping for an easy breakfast option or quick on-the-go snack.

The good news is, many processed foods offer added nutrition in addition to their convenience. Even ultra-processed food can have a place in a healthy diet when consumed in moderation.

In order to choose pre-packaged foods that are both easy and nutritious, it’s helpful to know what you’re looking for when navigating grocery store aisles. Here are our top tips for shopping:<\/p>\n\n\n\n