Ultra-processed foods: what they are and why they matter

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) make up a large share of the calories many people eat. Research linking them to health problems has made them a hot topic, but what exactly counts as ultra-processed?

Processing isn't all bad

Many processed foods are perfectly healthy: frozen vegetables, tinned beans, plain yoghurt, wholegrain bread from a bakery. The NOVA system, used by many researchers, separates foods into categories from minimally processed to ultra-processed.

What makes a food ultra-processed?

Ultra-processed foods are typically made in factories from ingredients you wouldn't use at home: modified starches, protein isolates, flavourings, emulsifiers, colourings and sweeteners. Examples include:

• Packaged snacks, sweets and biscuits
• Sugary breakfast cereals
• Soft drinks and energy drinks
• Processed meats like hot dogs and nuggets
• Many ready meals and instant noodles

What the research says

Studies have linked diets high in UPFs to higher risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In one controlled US study from 2019, people ate around 500 more calories a day on an ultra-processed diet than on an unprocessed one, even when meals were matched for nutrients. Researchers are still working out why.

Realistic ways to eat fewer

• Cook simple meals at home more often
• Swap sugary cereal for oats
• Choose plain yoghurt and add your own fruit
• Snack on fruit, nuts and vegetables with hummus
• Keep tins, frozen veg and eggs on hand for quick meals

Not all or nothing

You don't need to eliminate every packaged food. Making most of your meals from whole ingredients is what matters. Planning meals in Mealful makes home cooking the default rather than the exception.