People want to avoid Ultra-Processed Foods

“People want to avoid ultra-processed foods. But experts struggle to define them.”

The American diet is killing us. On that point, public health experts largely agree.

And in recent years, people who want to make Americans healthier — across the ideological spectrum — are targeting ultra-processed foods, which make up the majority of what Americans eat.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said these foods are “poisoning” Americans and blames them for the chronic disease epidemic. California last month became the first U.S. state to ban certain ultra-processed foods from school lunches. And the Trump administration is working on its own definition of ultra-processed foods to help guide federal policy — and consumers. One recent survey found the majority of U.S. shoppers say they’re trying to avoid these foods.

This image shows a high-angle view of a white plate, a stemmed drinking glass, a fork to the plate’s right and a knife to the plate’s left. The items are all set on a tabletop that’s orange across the top of the frame and light blue across the bottom.

‘They’re not all junk foods’
The term ultra-processed food was developed by Brazilian researchers to describe the level of processing foods undergo. They came up with the NOVA classification system. On one end of the spectrum, there’s unprocessed or minimally processed foods — such as an apple or frozen peas.

On the other end, there’s ultra-processed foods, which are made from manufactured ingredients and contain additives like artificial colors, flavors, emulsifiers and preservatives. Think processed deli meats, packaged cookies and candies, sweetened beverages and frozen ready meals.

“It’s about additives and processing methods that aren’t used in home cooking,” says Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, head of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University.

He says nearly 100 observational studies and three different randomized controlled trials have linked overconsumption of ultra-processed foods to a host of health harms — including an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and even depression.

More Information at:
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/10/nx-s1-5602065/ultra-processed-food-diet-health