What are Ultra-Processed Foods?

Ultra-processed foods aren’t hard to pick out of a lineup. Here’s what to watch out for:

• Long ingredient lists—especially items that you can’t pronounce.
• Unnatural flavors and colors.
• Packaged in a way that makes them incredibly easy to eat.
• Marketing terms such as real, original, tasty, crunchy, homemade, or fresh.
• Pseudo-health terms such as potato chips made with sea salt and olive oil, or granola bars with honey and 100% whole grain.

Ultra-processed foods are energy dense and nutrient poor. They contain high amounts of stimulating chemicals, especially sugar, fat, and salt.

Ultra-processed foods have little fiber or protein (your most satiating nutrients). They stimulate you to eat, but don’t fill you up.

Almost 60% of the calories Americans eat come from ultra-processed foods, so it’s no surprise that we’ve seen a dramatic rise in metabolic diseases in our country.