Ultra-processed foods are highly altered and typically contain a lot of added salt, sugar, fat, and industrial chemical additives. These types of food do not provide essential nutrients for our bodies, unlike minimally processed foods.
Regular processed foods are usually modified from their original state to make them easier to store and transport. Examples include frozen vegetables, canned beans and dried fruits. These types of food still retain most of their nutritional value like vitamins, minerals and fiber since they have undergone limited processing.
In comparison, ultra-processed foods are made mostly from substances extracted from other foods such as fats, starches, added sugars, hydrogenated fats and emulsifiers. These ingredients can lead to serious health problems such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes due to the presence of trans fats, saturated fats and refined sugars. Eating large portions of ultra-processed food may also increase mortality risk by 28%.
It is important to limit consumption of these types of unhealthy food in your diet. The simplest way to cut ultra-processed foods from your diet is to buy fewer prepared and packaged foods and consume more whole and minimally processed foods instead.
| Ultra-processed | Processed |
| sweetened breakfast cereals | plain bran cereal |
| soda | artificially flavored sparkling water |
| flavored potato chips | plain tortilla chips |
| white bread | whole wheat bread with minimal ingredients |
| fried chicken | deli rotisserie chicken |
| flavored candy bar with long ingredient list | simple candy bar with short ingredient list |
| frozen, blended coffee drink | store-bought cold brew |
| mashed potato flakes | frozen potatoes |
| energy drink | sweetened fruit juice |
| flavored granola bars with added sugar and preservatives | granola bars with minimal additives |
| artificially flavored cheese crackers | naturally flavored crackers |
