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The rise of ultra-processed foods and why they’re really bad for our health

To make these foods, cheap ingredients such as starches, vegetable oils and sugars, are combined with cosmetic additives like colours, flavours and emulsifiers. Think sugary drinks, confectionery, mass-produced breads, snack foods, sweetened dairy products and frozen desserts.

Unfortunately, these foods are terrible for our health. And we’re eating more of them than ever before, partially because of aggressive marketing and lobbying by “Big Food”.

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Here’s why ultra-processed foods are so bad for your health

Ultra-processed foods fall at the far end of the NOVA food classification system, which breaks what you eat down into four categories: unprocessed foods (edible parts of plants and animals); processed ingredients (like oils, flour, or sugar); processed foods (which involve cooking unprocessed foods with processed ingredients to make breads or canned vegetables); and ultra-processed foods (which don’t have any intact, unprocessed parts).

What we know about the health risks of ultra-processed foods

High consumption of ultra-processed foods has been linked to health concerns ranging from increased risk of obesity, hypertension, breast and colorectal cancer to dying prematurely from all causes. While there's clearly a link to health, researchers are still not completely sure what it is about this category of food that appears to make us sick. But one researcher, Kevin Hall, has a hunch.

Which ultra-processed foods are good for you?

Heavily processed convenience foods are things we love to hate and hate to love. But are some ultra-processed foods actually good for us?

Deep dive into diets shows just how much processed food Americans eat

As consumption of ultra-processed foods has increased, so has the prevalence of conditions like obesity and diabetes.”Of course, this does not prove that ‘A’ is causing ‘B’,” said researcher Carlos A. Monteiro, a nutrition professor at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. “But excessive content of free sugars in ultra-processed foods is a good candidate to explain why ‘A’ could cause ‘B’.”

Eat Food. All the Time. Mostly Junk

Whether it’s potato chips or air-popped organic corn puffs, “smart” frozen entrées or conventional frozen versions, these products are doing way more good for the companies producing them than they’re doing for us.

Fat, Sugar, Salt … You’ve Been Thinking About Food All Wrong

Scientists are asking tough questions about the health effects of ultra-processed diets. The answers are complicated—and surprising.

How ultra-processed food took over your shopping basket

It’s cheap, attractive and convenient, and we eat it every day – it’s difficult not to. But is ultra-processed food making us ill and driving the global obesity crisis?

In defence of ‘ultra-processed’ foods

Decades ago, hours of cooking was required to prepare three meals a day for a family of four and, of course, women were largely responsible. Processed foods have allowed the same family to accomplish the same task in exponentially less time. In order words, the narrative suggesting that ultra-processed foods should be outlawed completely overlooks the contribution that food science has made for more than a century now.

It's Not Just Salt, Sugar, Fat: Study Finds Ultra-Processed Foods Drive Weight Gain

Over the past 70 years, ultra-processed foods have come to dominate the U.S. diet. These are foods made from cheap industrial ingredients and engineered to be super-tasty and generally high in fat, sugar and salt. The rise of ultra-processed foods has coincided with growing rates of obesity, leading many to suspect that they've played a big role in our growing waistlines. But is it something about the highly processed nature of these foods itself that drives people to overeat? A new study suggests the answer is yes.

Most Americans Don't Know What 'Ultra-Processed' Foods Are—Do You?

You’ve likely heard of processed foods—but could you identify an ultra-processed food? If you’re like most Americans, the answer is no.

Unhealthy Foods Aren’t Just Bad For You, They May Also Be Addictive

Food researchers debate whether highly processed foods like potato chips and ice cream are addictive, triggering our brains to overeat.

What is ultra-processed food and how can you eat less of it?

Our dietitian helps you avoid the stuff that’s harming your health.