We eat a lot of ultra-processed food.
It’s everywhere, and the cheapest grocery options are often ultra-processed ones.
So what counts as ultra-processed food?
Let’s dig in, and maybe question a few assumptions along the way.
Are ultra-processed foodsalwaysbad, or are they just a category thatincludesa lot of food we should eat less of?
How are ultra-processed foods defined?
Foods in this category can be processed in ways that dont add extra ingredients.
They can be cooked, ground, dried, or frozen.
Processed culinary ingredients (group 2)include sugar, salt, and oils.
Processed foods (group 3)are what you get when you combine groups 1 and 2.
Bread, wine, and canned veggies are included.
Ultra-processed foods (group 4)dont have a strict definition, but NOVA hints at some properties.
They typically have five or more ingredients.
They may be aggressively marketed and highly profitable.
That last group feels a little disingenuous.
and tools for extrusion and molding, to name a few.
Are ultra-processed foods always bad?
Coke and Diet Coke are both solidly in this category.
It seems logical that we should eat less of these things.
The processing itself isnt the problem.
Hard liquor has beendistilled, you see, so its ultra-processed.
Canned vegetables are in group 3 (processed) while their fresh counterparts are in group 1.
Butcanned veggies arent any less nutritious.
Meanwhile, dried fruit is in group 1 (so wholesome!)
even though it can be more sugary than cakes or cookies.
There’s a lot of overlap between unhealthy(?)
foods and ultra-processed foods, so I understand why scientists are studying ultra-processed foods as a group.
But its not a great way to evaluate whats in our grocery bags, or on our plates.
