Are you ultra-sure you know what ultra-processed food is?
Key Points
- Many people aren’t sure what processed and ultra-processed foods really are.
- Processed foods come in four different types – some of which may surprise you.
- Whether processed foods affect your health depends on the type of processing and how often you eat them.
- Eating healthier doesn’t require avoiding processed foods completely.
Most people assume that fresh food is healthier than processed food. But is this a bit of an urban legend? Before you limit your bread and stop snacking on packaged products, let’s explore what processed food actually is, and the different ways of processing it.
Registered Nutritionist Sarah Gray shares her expertise on the topic.
What exactly is processed food?
Processed foods are “any foods that have been modified from their original fresh or whole state.” This means that a lot of the food we eat is processed in some way.
Sarah comments that, “It's important to look at what we mean by ‘processed’. Without some processing, we wouldn’t even be able to eat certain foods.”
Back in yonder years, our great-great-grandparents didn’t have fridge-freezer combos to help keep their food fresh. So they processed food in different ways, using techniques like:
- canning
- drying
- preserving
- fermenting
This kind of processing was necessary to make sure they had enough food year-round. It also helped to reduce wastage whenever they had an excess of certain foods.
Examples of processed food types
Today, the NOVA food classification system divides processed foods into 4 main groups:
- Unprocessed and minimally processed
- Processed culinary ingredients
- Processed foods
- Ultra-processed foods
These processes enable us to more easily access and store common foods so we can easily prepare healthy meals (e.g. canned veggies/legumes are a great option as long as we select low/no added salt varieties).
Unprocessed and minimally processed
This category includes fresh foods, as well as foods like snap-frozen vegetables that are processed in some way to make them healthier or safer to eat.
Frozen veggies are called ‘processed’ because we don’t eat them fresh. However, modern technology lets us freeze them straight after picking them - so they often have more nutrients than their store-bought fresh counterparts.
Freezing veggies also means they last longer, reducing wastage. And because they’re pre-prepared, they’re easy to grab at the end of a long day – so we’re more likely to use them. Boiling, drying and fermenting are other common ways to minimally process food.
Processed culinary ingredients
Foods in this category include extra virgin olive oil and flour from wholegrains. They’re ingredients that we rarely consume on their own. These foods can help us eat more wholefoods - for example, cooking veggies in olive oil can help make them tastier and help your body better absorb nutrients.
Processed foods
Group 1 + Group 2 = Group 3! Foods in this group tend to be made by adding salt, oil or sugar to foods from the previous groups. Food processing in group 3 is usually done to increase the durability of group 1 foods or to modify or enhance their sensory qualities.
It's important to look at what we mean by ‘processed’. Without some processing, we wouldn’t even be able to eat certain foods.
Typically, Group 3 foods are made from at least 2-3 ingredients and they can be eaten as part of meals or by themselves as snacks. Canned fruit, freshly made bread and some cheeses are examples of Group 3 foods.
Ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processing is a relatively modern technique that can use many different industrial processes. Group 4 foods are highly processed which typically goes beyond the incorporation of salt, sweeteners, or fat to include artificial colors and flavors and preservatives. This processing aims to give Group 4 foods a longer shelf life while preserving texture and improving taste.
Some examples of ultra processed foods include pre-packaged cakes and biscuits, instant noodles, crackers, cereals and muesli bars.
Fresh vs processed foods
Fresh, whole foods are the best choice, but Sarah says that, “foods from any category can also be part of a healthy diet.” No food is bad for you - all food can form part of a realistic diet - it is best to prioritise whole foods and minimally processed foods for the bulk of your diet.
As an example, she points to freshly baked bread. “Yes, sure, it's processed. But you probably wouldn’t just eat wheat on its own, so to get the fibre in flour, you need to bake it into bread.”
And fermented foods may have benefits for your gut health too, which is another way that processed foods can be part of a balanced diet.
Are ultra-processed foods really that bad?
If you eat an ultra-processed food - perhaps a biscuit or doughnut - as a treat occasionally, it probably won't cause an issue. But if your diet includes a lot of these foods, you might run into health issues, especially in your gut.
“Studies show that ultra-processed foods could actually be linked to several chronic conditions,” explains Sarah. And as our understanding of gut microbiota improves, we see more links between ultra-processed food and changes in the gut microbiome, which may lead to gut inflammation.
How to stop eating processed foods
Focusing on what not to eat is never a good plan because it becomes all you think about!
Instead, think about what better choices you can make and how they might help you. Perhaps start by:
- learning about how your gut-brain axis might affect issues like brain fog or anxiety
- discovering how ultra-processed food might play a role in bowel issues
- exploring our expert-recommended foods to improve your gut health
Focus on the positives for a positive result
Processed foods get a universal bad rap, which is unfair when you think about what the word ‘processed’ can actually cover.
Rather than trying to completely avoid processed foods, consider the positive health benefits of each food you eat individually and concentrate on getting more of the good stuff.
This can help you to make better choices and reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods in your diet.
Related:
Sarah Gray is both a Registered Pharmacist and Registered Nutritionist with a particular interest in health education and helping people to take small steps to big change in their health journey. Sarah is the Head of Health and Nutrition at healthylife.
Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board October 2021.