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Ultra-processed foods are all the rage these days, and not in a good way. A growing body of research links diets high in these foods to a variety of health concerns, including increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
However, ultra-processed foods contain large amounts of additives such as sugar, fat, and artificial colors and preservatives to enhance their taste and shelf life. Items range from hot dogs to salty snacks to whole-grain breads. And not all of them are equally bad for your health.
Many ultra-processed foods actually contain valuable nutrients, Valerie Sullivan, MD, MHS, RDN, an assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Health magazine. Ta. “Therefore, we are hesitant to make blanket recommendations against the consumption of all ultra-processed foods,” she says.
Still, there is consistent evidence that certain ultra-processed foods cause poor health. And a September 2024 study of more than 200,000 U.S. adults revealed who may actually have the most negative impact on cardiovascular health (more on these soon) do).
So if you’ve vowed to cut back on your ultra-processed food intake this year but aren’t sure where to start, experts say these common food groups are a good place to start prioritizing. Masu.
“I would definitely start with processed meat, which is consistently associated with the leading cause of death,” said Dr. Min-Yang Song, associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Health. told.
Bonnie Liebman, M.A., director of nutrition at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, says that despite the protein (and sometimes iron) these meats contain, they have significant nutritional shortcomings, such as high sodium and saturated fat. He said there is. The aforementioned September study found that these meats are some of the foods most consistently associated with cardiovascular problems.
Processed meats such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ham, and lunch meat are also considered carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Fortunately, there are less processed animal protein options. “Healthier alternatives include baked or grilled poultry (such as chicken or turkey), fish and lean meats,” Professor Sullivan says. “For example, instead of a cold cut sandwich, use roasted chicken or canned tuna to make a chicken salad sandwich or a tuna salad sandwich.”
Another easy adjustment: Instead of making processed meat the star of your meal, use it in small amounts to add flavor. For example, instead of layering whole slices of bacon crumble into a sandwich, use it to top a salad or baked potato.
Experts have long encouraged people to limit their intake of sugary drinks. Song pointed out that drinks such as soda, sweet tea, energy drinks and fruit cocktails are associated with health problems such as weight gain, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other metabolic disorders.
Their potential harm doesn’t end there. Liebman noted their sometimes overlooked contribution to tooth decay. A September study also listed these drinks as some of the worst items for cardiovascular health.
If you’re ready to overhaul your drinks, you may be tempted to try diet drinks, but Sullivan urges caution. “Diet drinks seem like an attractive alternative because they use non-caloric sweeteners instead of sugar, but they come with their own health concerns.”
Instead, she recommends good old water. If you’re not interested in regular H2O, try opting for fruit- and herb-infused or naturally flavored sparkling water. “Unsweetened tea, hot or iced, is also a great option,” she says.
Commercially fried foods with added fats and salts (and sometimes artificial flavors and preservatives) don’t do you any good, Sullivan says.
While frying may add flavor to your food, it also comes with some unpleasant elements. “The frying process can produce carcinogens,” Professor Sullivan says. She advises avoiding fried foods such as french fries, packaged potato chips, donuts, and meat and fish nuggets.
That way, you won’t miss out on too much quality nutrition. “Fried foods are high in calories and low in nutritional value, which means they bring a lot of calories to your diet without getting a lot of healthy nutrients,” she says.
If you’re still looking for rich flavor in your meals, consider a version that replaces baking with frying. Sullivan suggests making roasted potatoes instead of fries or opting for oven-baked chips instead of fries.
