Eating Too Much Ultra-Processed Food?

It happens to the best of us – between work, errands and kids’ activities, dinner sneaks up and there’s no time to cook. Thankfully, fast and convenient options like frozen meals or drive-thru dinners are easy to grab. But while they’re helpful in a pinch, relying on them too often can come at a cost.

Most of these items are considered ultra-processed foods that offer little nutrition and can have potentially serious effects on your health.

Ultra-processed foods are packed with salt, sugar and fat. They lack macronutrients like protein and fiber and contain very little actual nutrition. Unfortunately, it’s estimated today’s American diet is made up of approximately 60 percent ultra-processed food.

Asima Ahmad, DO, board-certified obesity medicine clinician with LVPG Bariatric Medicine, explains what ultra-processed food is, why it’s best to minimize the amount we eat and provides tips to include more healthy, nutritious foods in your diet.

The definition of ultra-processed food is not standard or agreed upon across the board. Dr. Ahmad explains food generally falls into three categories:

1. Whole foods – Ready to eat as they grow, like fruits and vegetables.
2. Processed foods – Slightly altered with a short ingredient list.
3. Ultra-processed foods – Highly manufactured with long ingredient lists.

“Ultra-processed foods are ones where a chemist or a scientist was most likely involved in the creation of the product,” Dr. Ahmad says. “They have the perfect combination of sugar, salt, saturated and trans fat, and perhaps most alarming, they are highly addictive, leaving our bodies craving more.”

When eaten as half your diet ultra-processed foods can disrupt digestion, spike sugar levels and even shrink pathways in your brain, causing an increase in depression and anxiety. A high consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia, certain types of cancers, mental health disorders, dementia and even death.

“Part of what makes them addictive is not what they’re putting into the food, but rather what’s left out,” Dr. Ahmad says. “Ultra-processed foods are stripped of the things that make food satisfying, so we’re just left hungrier.”

Dr. Ahmad says a steady diet of ultra-processed foods can disrupt a healthy biome in your gut, throwing off the balance of microorganisms living there that aid with digestion and your overall health.

An unhealthy biome can cause your blood sugar to spike quicker and over time contribute to your body becoming resistant to insulin, as well as disrupting hunger and satiety hormones. 

“A long and complicated ingredient list is a sure sign of an ultra-processed food. Look for foods that are as close to their natural state as possible,” Dr. Ahmad says.

She urges everyone to look closely at the ingredient list and nutritional information listed on packaging. The front labels can often be misleading, so it’s important to turn the package over and read the back.

A product claiming to be “high protein” can also be packed with sugar. A product touted as “organic” will be perceived as healthier but might also have a lot of additives and preservatives.

“Food marketers are very savvy so consumers really need to educate themselves,” Dr. Ahmad says. “Work with your primary care physician, obesity certified clinician, a dietitian or other nutrition specialist if you’re struggling. There’s a lot of misinformation out there that can appear legitimate at first glance.”

Ultra-processed foods have an interesting background. In the early 1900s chemist Wilhelm Normann discovered that adding hydrogen to vegetable and fish oils could solidify them – leading to a less expensive product with a longer shelf life. These trans fats soon made their way into many foods.

Then, after WWII, due to the needs of the military for foods high in calories with good taste that could be transported over long distances, there were quick advances in processes like freeze-drying and dehydration, along with advances in the use of chemical preservatives and packaging.

The innovations carried over into food products for society at large and contributed to today’s fast-paced culture with fast and convenient food items available 24 hours a day almost anywhere we go.

Given the abundance and convenience of ultra-processed food, it can be a challenge to minimize how much of it we eat. For some people it’s all they’ve ever known. Dr. Ahmad recommends people start small and don’t try to do it all at once.

“In our practice we meet people where they are. We encourage them to make small changes and not expect perfection. It’s not all or nothing,” she says. “It could be starting with something simple like comparing two loaves of bread. Look at the ingredient list and choose the one that has fewer ingredients listed.”

If you’re just getting started Dr. Ahmad has a few more recommendations to help you get started:

1. Know your numbers: Work with a registered dietitian, obesity certified clinician, or other qualified health care professional to know what your recommended goals are for protein, fiber, fat and carbs. Some people might have restrictions due to existing health conditions.
2. Keep it simple: Do an audit of what foods and drinks you are consuming, note your cravings, and see what simple substitutions you can make. For example, eating potato chips with your sandwich at lunch can be replaced with some crunchy carrots. 
3. Balance your meals: Each meal should be filled with delicious protein, fiber, healthy fats and complex carbs. Make each meal colorful to ensure it’s packed with lots of macro and micronutrients. Eat the rainbow!
4. Eat foods you enjoy: Find whole foods that you look forward to having. It doesn't have to be expensive or take a long time to prepare. 
5. Make small swaps: Life can get busy, so when you’re on the go, pack veggies, fruits, cheese and nuts for a healthy snack. If eating out, preview the menu ahead of time and know the healthiest option. If eating in, try to prepare a healthier, simpler meal at home instead of ordering fast food. Stock your refrigerator, freezer and pantry with ingredients that can be put together for a quick and easy meal. 

“I also encourage people to focus on the other important pillars in their life – prioritize sleep and physical activity, manage stress levels and limit substance use," Dr. Ahmad says. “If all these things are misaligned, healthy eating becomes more difficult.”

The first step is often the hardest, but if you’ve been thinking about making changes to your diet, help is available.

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