Despite the US having some of the greatest advances in medicine, we are one of the unhealthiest populations. Ultra-processed foods are a staple in American households and it’s time to change. When you get a chance take a look into your pantry, fridge, and freezer. Count how many items you have that are ultra-processed. Compare that against the amount of whole foods you have. I bet this will be a wakeup call for everyone, as it was for myself.

The Problem With Ultra-Processed foods  

Ultra-processed foods have not been officially defined yet but there is a consensus amongst the industry of what they are. These foods that have been processed many times over and will have an overwhelming ingredients list. These lists typically will have many ingredients that most cannot pronounce let alone know what they are for.

The ultra-processing of these foods strips the food of many if not all of the vitamins and minerals normally found in it. This creates a food that is nutritionally void and only a source of calories. 

You may notice on the ingredients list towards the end, a list of vitamins and minerals that were added back into the food. These vitamins and minerals are often not the ones naturally found in the food item. Despite good intentions, it is no different than taking a multivitamin with our meal.

In addition to the nutritional voidness of these foods, the everlong list of ingredients is a source of toxins to our bodies. For instance, food dyes have been linked to many cancers, amongst which Red 40 and Yellow 4 and 5 are some of the most well known. These dyes are almost the most commonly found in almost everything from your Jello to your toothpaste. 

Other chemical ingredients used to keep foods fresh, crisp, emulsified, etc. are often banned in European countries but not in the US. International food companies will go through the trouble of making the same product with different ingredients for the US and European market. 

Why a company would not uphold the highest standard of health for their food item can only be chalked up to cost. Although the FDA claims the ingredients that are banned in Europe are generally safe, they have different thresholds of what safe is. 

Keep in mind that the food industry has a history of lobbying in their favor. Just look at the history of the food pyramid in the US and the food industry's influence over it.

What can you do as a consumer?

Making a list of ultra-processed foods would be exhausting and still would not cover all of the ultra-processed foods available to us. Instead, applying these rules to processed foods will allow you to quickly and confidently choose the best option.

Choose the food item with:

• The least amount (ideally none) of ingredients you cannot pronounce 

• No food dyes

• No artificial flavors

• No food additives 

Although ultra-processed foods are often a convenience, it’s a convenience that comes with a cost to your health years from now. The best option to keep your body healthy and free from disease as we get older is to choose whole foods with as little processing and added ingredients as possible. 

Take the mediterranean diet which has been researched extensively and deemed one of the healthiest diets in modern times. When you look at the diet with a broad lens, it is a diet consisting almost entirely of whole foods and very little to no ultra-processed foods. This is the common link between all of the healthiest diets in today’s world.

If you are ready to become less dependent on ultra-processed foods and want help with improving your diet for your health, email me at dietitian2go@gmail.com or schedule a consultation with me.

Written by: Adam Skowyra MPPD, RDN, LD