Nine in 10 Americans are eating ultra-processed foods without realizing it, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 general population Americans explored how respondents think, feel, and make decisions about ultra-processed foods, and just how far off their perception is from reality. Respondents estimate their diet consists of only 16% ultra-processed foods; however, the … Read more
A recent study conducted by Canadian researchers found a correlation between high consumption of ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of stroke and future memory problems in healthy adults. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to examine the brains of about 9,000 participants, the researchers discovered small areas of brain damage more commonly in people … Read more
Just an extra 3½ ounces of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) a day was linked to a higher risk of chronic disease, according to a new large-scale analysis. The study, published Sept. 22 in the journal Family Medicine and Community Health, looked at nearly 8.8 million adults who participated in studies across the Americas, Europe, Asia and … Read more
One of human history’s oldest-cultivated foods is having a moment as more people reach for healthier alternatives to ultra-processed foods. Sales of dates in the U.S. were up 33% in 2025, a founding member of organic California-grown date company Joolies California Superfruit told Food52.com. Those numbers are expected to grow significantly, Fortune Business Insights reported. By 2034, the … Read more
Lunch ladies are getting a MAHA makeover. The Food and Drug Administration’s $17 million pilot program aimed at helping schools serve MAHA-approved meals to students is up and running — and already reportedly seeing results. FDA Administrator Marty Makary told The Post that nationwide, up to 70% of children’s diets now come from ultra-processed foods, … Read more
Ultra-processed and uber-risky. Cardiology researchers published new findings Tuesday linking junk foods to cardiovascular distress, falling in line with the Department of Health and Human Services’ new dietary guidelines urging Americans to steer clear of foods like chips and candy. Diets made up mostly of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) were found to increase a person’s risk … Read more
The city of San Francisco sued Kraft, Mondelez, Coca-Cola and other makers of ultra-processed foods on Tuesday, accusing them of knowingly sickening California residents with addictive and harmful products. City Attorney David Chiu filed the lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court, alleging that the companies employed tactics similar to those used by the tobacco industry to design and … Read more
New research suggests there’s an unholy trinity of ways that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can sabotage men’s health. A team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark set out to determine how the processed nature of food affects men, assuming that calories and nutrients are kept consistent. UPFs include packaged goods, drinks, cereals and … Read more
Fake meat, real results. Ultra-processed foods tend to get a bad rap, as they have been linked to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes. A recent study even suggested that UPFs have a disturbing amount of microplastics, which may be harmful to respiratory, reproductive and mental health. Looks like … Read more
Wurst news ever, hot dog lovers. Ultra-processed foods — which often contain high levels of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats — are believed to make up over 70% of the US food supply. A new analysis examined data from the US and seven other countries to estimate the percentage of premature, preventable deaths due to … Read more
Sam Srisatta, a 20-year-old Florida college student, spent a month living inside a government hospital here last fall, playing video games and allowing scientists to document every morsel of food that went into his mouth. From big bowls of salad to platters of meatballs and spaghetti sauce, Srisatta noshed his way through a nutrition study … Read more
Ultra-processed foods like ice cream, chips and soda fuel the risk of colorectal cancer — and prevent the body from combatting the cancer, new research finds. “Cancer is like a chronic wound that won’t heal — if your body is living off of daily ultra-processed foods, its ability to heal that wound decreases,” said Dr. … Read more
Add debilitating bone disease to the growing list of ailments attributed to ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Previous research has linked UPFs, which include products like packaged snacks, sugary drinks, mass-produced bread, fruit yogurt, some breakfast cereals and meat alternatives, to a host of adverse health effects, from obesity and diabetes to heart disease, depression, dementia and more. One study has … Read more
Packaged foods and frozen meals have become ubiquitous in US diets, with recent research revealing that a shocking 60% of Americans’ daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods (UPFs). UPFs often contain high levels of sodium, refined sugars, cholesterol-spiking fats and other controversial lab-based ingredients. A recent study linked exposure to UPFs to 32 poor … Read more
In the wake of new research confirming the link between ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and the development of Type 2 diabetes, a dietitian is sharing how to safely incorporate guilty pleasures into a balanced diet. The latest study, published this week in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe, analyzed the UPF consumption of nearly 312,000 people from eight European countries. … Read more
Ultra-processed foods have long held a bad reputation for having lots of calories, sugar, fat and salt — now, UK researchers have identified the four types most likely to lead to Type 2 diabetes. The highest-risk UPFs are savory snacks, animal-based products such as processed meats, ready-to-eat meals and beverages sweetened by sugar or an … Read more
No sugarcoating this news. Consuming sugary or artificially sweetened drinks and processed meats may raise your risk of heart disease, according to a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study published this week in The Lancet. The researchers tracked the ultra-processed food (UPF) intake of more than 200,000 health professionals and followed up with … Read more
Whether they know it or not, most Americans don’t go a day — or often a single meal — without eating ultraprocessed foods. From sugary cereals at breakfast to frozen pizzas at dinner, plus in-between snacks of potato chips, sodas and ice cream, ultraprocessed foods make up about 60% of the U.S. diet. For kids … Read more
Cutting junk foods from your diet can be a process. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which contain high levels of salt, refined sugars, cholesterol-spiking fats and other controversial lab-based ingredients, are all but impossible to avoid. Decades of research have shown that foods that undergo extensive factory manufacturing, such as potato chips, cookies, store-bought condiments and prepackaged snacks, … Read more
Help may be on the way for junk food addicts. Recent studies suggest that these irresistible dishes are not only designed to be delicious, but also addictive — so much so that some experts are calling the insatiable craving a bona fide mental illness, per the Wall Street Journal. Symptoms of “ultra-processed food use disorder” … Read more