Here are the four types you want to avoid, according to a new study.
Most of us enjoy a frozen meal or soda from time to time, but you might not want to make a habit of eating these ultra-processed foods (UPFs). A new 30-year study published in the British medical journal BMJ found that people who eat a lot of these foods appeared to have a slightly higher risk of premature death.
What’s worse is Americans are especially at risk. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, ultra-processed foods account for 57 percent of adults’ daily energy intake and 67 percent among youths in the U.S. Soon, there might be warnings against them — a federal committee is currently examining the emerging science on industrially made foods and could alter dietary guidelines, which are set to be published again in 2025.
For a better understanding of how to protect yourself, here’s a breakdown of what the latest findings mean for your health and which four categories of foods are the biggest culprits for UPFs.
What are ultra-processed foods?
These are mostly made from manufactured ingredients that are extracted from foods like fats, sugars, and starches. While the term “ultra-processed” might not sound familiar, chances are you’ve strolled past them in the grocery store (and maybe even put a few in your cart). They include everything from pre-packaged soups and ready-to-eat meals to chips and various types of meat, like chicken nuggets. And if you have a sweet tooth, you might want to listen up — ice cream, chocolate, and donuts all fall under this risky category as well.
What does the research say?
The BMJ study followed more than 100,000 U.S. adults for more than 30 years who had no history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. Over this period, researchers found that people who ate the most ultra-processed food — or about 7 servings per day — had a 4 percent higher risk of death, compared to those who ate the lowest amount, an average of about 3 servings per day.
Though research analyzed many participants spanning decades, it had some notable limitations. For starters, it was an observational study, meaning it didn’t draw a cause-and-effect conclusion between ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of death. The participants were health professionals and predominantly white, which the study’s authors acknowledged limited “the generalizability of our findings.”
This study comes after other research published in February found that eating a diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of 32 damaging health conditions, including cancer, major heart and lung conditions, gastrointestinal issues, obesity, type 2 diabetes, sleep issues, mental health disorders, and early death.
What are some common ultra-processed foods to avoid?
There’s a wide variety of ultra-processed foods — they include everything from baked goods to snacks to fizzy drinks. According to the latest BMJ study, they also “often contain colors, emulsifiers, flavors, and other additives and are typically high in energy, added sugar, saturated fat, and salt, but lack vitamins and fiber.”
Not all ultra-processed foods are the same. For instance, ultra-processed whole grains don’t have the same risks as processed meats and sugary foods or drinks. According to the latest research, these are the four that carry the highest risk of death:
- Ready-to-eat meat, poultry and seafood-based products
- Sugary drinks
- Dairy-based desserts
- Highly processed breakfast foods, including sugary cereals
Why are ultra-processed foods unhealthy?
Ultra-processed foods contain “little if any whole food.” That means they’re generally higher in calories and lower in key nutrients like protein and fiber. “No reason exists to believe that humans can fully adapt to these products,” nutrition researcher Carlos Monteiro, Ph.D., who coined the term for these foods, wrote in an editorial.
But there are some exceptions: For instance, ultra-processed dairy foods like soy milk and yogurt can be healthy additions to your diet, and researchers in one of the studies found that those were associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer in women.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s your overall diet that matters. “If people maintain a generally healthy diet, I don’t think they need to be like scared or be freaked out,” said lead study author Dr. Mingyang Song. “The overall dietary pattern is still the predominant factor determining the health outcomes.”
