MONTH 2 – Article
Processed & Ultra-Processed Foods
Last Reviewed: 22/11/2022
Time To Read: 3mins
Tags: Free
Are they healthy?
At The Food Cruncher we strongly promote a predominantly plant based diet, made up of whole foods.
So, what are processed and ultra-processed foods?
Processed foods are foods that are no longer in their natural state. They have added substances to them like salt, oil and sugar. Some examples of processed foods include canned fish, canned vegetables or fruit, yoghurt. Generally speaking, processed foods have at least two or more ingredients in them.
Highly processed or ultra-processed foods would typically have sugar, fat, salt and artificial colours and preservatives added to them. They may also contain substances like hydrogenated fat and stabilizers. Examples of ultra-processed foods include frozen meals, biscuits & cookies, store brought muffins and cakes, different types of snack foods.
What’s the problem with processed and ultra-processed foods?
The problem with these foods is that generally they are very high in calories, fat, salt and sugar and can easily lead to weight gain. In addition, if you read the (often) long list of ingredients on the food label, do you actually know what you are eating? You should be concerned if you can’t pronounce what is on the label or know what it is and what it might do to you. Ultra-processed foods generally contain ingredients that you would not add if you were cooking at home. There has also been some recent research that demonstrated a relationship between ultra-processed foods and increased cancer risk. While the research is still new, it is worth thinking about what foods will benefit your health the most.
Choose Minimally Processed Foods
Foods that are minimally or unprocessed are those that have their vitamins, minerals and nutrients still intact. Unprocessed foods include foods like apples, bananas, raw unsalted nuts, raw chicken.
Minimally processed foods are those that are only slightly altered to allow for safe storage (for example foods that are dried, boiled or frozen).
Minimally Processed or Unprocessed Foods |
Processed Foods |
Ultra-Processed Foods |
Raw fruit & vegetables |
Bran Cereal |
Cereals with added ingredients including sugar and salt |
Tap Water |
Flavoured Water |
Coke |
Pure home squeezed orange juice |
Store brought juice with added sugar |
Energy drinks |
Home Made Potato Chips |
Chips with three or less ingredients |
Regular potato chips |
Eggs |
Canned fish |
Frozen meals |
Raw Chicken |
Cheese |
Ice Cream |
Raw nuts and seeds |
Bread |
Salty & Sugary snacks |
Frozen fish |
Bacon |
Biscuits & Cakes |
No added sugar yoghurt |
Beer & Wine |
Meat alternatives |
Plain oats |
Ham |
Yoghurt with added ingredients |
Are you interested in learning about plant-based nutrition? Or why the Keto diet is so bad for you? And how to keep weight off permanently?
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Key Message
The bottom line is, try and choose foods that are in the natural state or at least minimally processed. They will provide the most nutrients and benefits to your health.
We hope you found this article useful.
Michelle @ The Food Cruncher.
The Science:
Filippa Juul, F, Steele, EM, Parekh, N et al. (2018) Ultra-processed food consumption and excess weight among US adults. Br J Nutr 120, 90–100.10.1017/S0007114518001046 CrossRef | Google Scholar
Fiolet, Thibault; Srour, Bernard; Sellem, Laury; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Allès, Benjamin; Méjean, Caroline; Deschasaux, Mélanie; Fassier, Philippine; Latino-Martel, Paule; Beslay, Marie; Hercberg, Serge; Lavalette, Céline; Monteiro, Carlos A; Julia, Chantal; Touvier, Mathilde (2018). "Consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer risk: Results from Nutri Net-Santé prospective cohort". BMJ. 360: k322. doi:10.1136/bmj.k322. PMC 5811844. PMID 29444771.
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