Extremely-processed meals have been linked to all types of adverse well being results, together with however not restricted to an elevated danger of heart problems1, diabetes, and even most cancers2. So as to add to the record, a groundbreaking new examine printed in August in Nature Medication has simply recognized a direct hyperlink to weight problems3, confirming pre-existing proof that avoiding ultra-processed meals might contribute to weight reduction4.
What Are Extremely-Processed Meals?
As their title suggests, ultra-processed meals (UPFs) are outlined as meals that comprise synthetic colours, preservatives, and components like sugar, salt, and fats. In contrast to plain previous “processed meals” like canned fish, fruits in syrup, and freshly made breads, UPFs have greater than two or three substances and sometimes comprise components which were extracted from meals, like remoted starches, sugars, and hydrogenated fat.
Even perhaps worse than the research concerning the adverse well being results of UPFs are the numbers round how prevalent these meals are within the common particular person’s weight-reduction plan. New knowledge launched in early August from the Facilities for Illness Management exhibits that greater than half of the each day energy consumed by People come from ultra-processed meals5.
The Destructive Results of Extremely-Processed Meals
The adverse well being results linked to those meals can come from their richness in chemical substances and preservatives, explains Dr. Serena Goldstein, ND, who notes that these components in meals can disrupt hormones, sleep, and the flexibility of the liver and kidneys to detox. “Weight acquire is […] linked to poor sleep, hormone imbalance, elevated danger of coronary heart illness, and even simply total discomfort,” she says, “as these points don’t essentially occur by themselves.”
Extremely-processed meals usually maintain a low dietary worth, missing many important vitamins, and could be excessive in added sugars, saturated or trans fat, and sodium.
Lena Bakovic, MS, RDN, CNSC at Vnutrition
Extremely-processed meals may also negatively have an effect on intestine well being, she says, and seeing as our intestine microbiome is “a recognized participant in weight acquire,” these new findings are maybe no shock.
For Lena Bakovic, MS, RDN, CNSC at Vnutrition specialised in intestine well being, weight administration, and disordered consuming, the hazards of UPFs aren’t simply linked to components; they’re additionally significantly poor within the vitamins we want.
“Extremely-processed meals usually maintain a low dietary worth, missing many important vitamins, and could be excessive in added sugars, saturated or trans fat, and sodium,” she says. “Common and/or extreme consumption of calorically dense, processed, and low nutritive worth meals cannot solely contribute to weight acquire but in addition enhance irritation in our our bodies and the rise our danger for persistent illnesses corresponding to heart problems, Sort 2 diabetes, and most cancers.”
Don’t Be Fooled by UPFs Pretending to Be Wholesome
In what is maybe a stunning and irritating irony for these trying to make wholesome decisions, Bakovic expands, many ultra-processed meals masquerade as well being meals. Examples of ultra-processed meals aren’t simply beef jerky and Doritos — even meals that appear innocuous can have adverse well being results.
“Breakfast cereals are an enormous one and are sometimes promoted as being nutritious,” she says, “however many comprise excessive quantities of added sugars, even when they’re labeled as being ‘whole-grain.’”
Fruit-flavored snacks and drinks are additionally on the record of worst offenders. They usually have labels suggesting they’re created from actual fruit, however embody synthetic fruit flavors, sweeteners, and colours as a substitute. Equally, protein and vitality bars are often marketed as ‘wholesome’ or ‘high-protein,’ however some are filled with added sugars, unhealthy fat, and synthetic substances.
A Tie Between UPFs and Weight problems
The hyperlink between UPFs and weight problems isn’t a brand new discovery. A analysis evaluate printed in July in Nature Critiques Endocrinology summarized the present literature, which researchers wrote “strongly helps and corroborates” the concept a weight-reduction plan excessive in ultra-processed meals promotes overeating and will increase the chance of weight problems6. However this new examine is the primary to indicate causality between lowering consumption of UPFs and weight reduction.
“Most research linking ultra-processed meals and well being modifications are cross-sectional, which means they have a look at knowledge from a inhabitants (corresponding to nutrient and calorie consumption from meals logs) at a selected time limit,” explains Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS, Chief Registered Dietitian at Reside it Up. “These research are additionally observational, which means the researchers don’t intervene within the inhabitants’s behaviors. Due to this, a lot of these research aren’t good for determining cause-and-effect relationships (causality), and might actually solely pinpoint associations.”
The First Examine to Present Causality
This new examine’s managed nature was in a position to conclusively show that consuming fewer ultra-processed meals straight contributes to weight reduction. Contributors adopted two completely different diets, one made up of minimally-processed entire meals like pasta, rooster, fruits, and greens, and the opposite of ultra-processed meals like frozen meals, protein bars, and shakes. Contributors following the minimally-processed weight-reduction plan misplaced twice as a lot weight.
The 55 examine contributors have been primarily girls, all of whom have been chubby or overweight earlier than the examine and who obtained a mean of about two-thirds of their energy from UPFs earlier than the examine. One group of contributors adopted the minimally-processed weight-reduction plan for 2 months, returned to their regular diets for one month, after which adopted the ultra-processed weight-reduction plan for 2 months. The opposite group adopted the diets within the reverse order. Irrespective of which weight-reduction plan they have been following, they might eat no matter amount of meals they preferred.
The outcomes have been simple. Whereas most contributors misplaced weight on each diets, on common, they misplaced about 4 kilos on the minimally-processed weight-reduction plan and two kilos on the ultra-processed weight-reduction plan.
Even Excessive-High quality UPFs are Problematic
One main takeaway from this examine was across the high quality of the UPFs. Each diets met U.Okay. vitamin pointers, together with beneficial quantities of vitamins, fiber, and produce. Plus, the UPFs chosen for the processed meals weight-reduction plan have been marketed as more healthy choices, like entire grain breakfast cereals and flavored yogurt. This exhibits that even “better-for-you” UPFs is usually a detriment to weight management.
This isn’t stunning to consultants, who cite a number of explanation why even seemingly wholesome ultra-processed meals can contribute to weight acquire. “UPFs are vitality dense, which means they pack extra energy per gram than most minimally processed meals,” explains Gargano. “Since our abdomen is aware of quantity, not energy, we’ve got to eat a specific amount to really feel happy. So to really feel ‘full,’ it’s a must to eat a number of UPFs — which suggests extra energy on the whole.”
She provides the instance of broccoli versus cheddar fish crackers. “Let’s say that we’re full after consuming 3 cups of meals,” she says. “Which means we’re the identical ‘fullness’ whether or not we eat 3 cups of cheddar fish crackers or 3 cups of broccoli. However 3 cups of cooked broccoli is about 150 energy whereas 3 cups of cheddar fish crackers is about 900 energy. Broccoli is nutrient-dense, not calorie-dense; filled with fiber, water, and micronutrients. You refill on its quantity with out overdoing it with energy.”
Bakovic agrees. “The nutrient distribution (or lack thereof) in these meals could make it comparatively straightforward for some people to devour them with out experiencing a sense of fullness. In different phrases, they’re sort of a supply of comparatively empty energy.”
UPFs and Overeating
One more reason why it’s straightforward to overeat ultra-processed meals is sort of just because they’re designed for it. “They’re exactly engineered to style good and developed to make it simpler for us to overeat them,” explains Gargano7. “The components current in ultra-processed meals can create a really palatable style profile,” Bakovic provides, “which may affect overeating.”
Certainly, the contributors reported feeling like that they had higher management of meals cravings on the minimally-processed weight-reduction plan, one thing that shocked lead creator Dr. Samuel Dicken, a analysis fellow at College Faculty London. “When folks drop pounds,” he advised the New York Instances, “they have an inclination to wish to eat extra.”8 Higher management of cravings may result in sustained weight reduction over time.
Strive Sticking to an 80/20 Eating regimen
So given this new examine, what’s the easiest way to proceed? It doesn’t must be all or nothing. For the healthiest weight-reduction plan, deal with entire meals each time doable — however depart your self slightly room for conscious indulgence. If it lets you purpose for a goal or have a little bit of construction, attempt making use of the 80/20 rule. Make it a objective to stay to an entire, unprocessed meals weight-reduction plan 80% of the time, after which enable your self to take pleasure in not-so-healthy treats for the opposite 20%.
“Extremely-processed meals can definitely be scrumptious and slicing them out utterly will not be an possibility for everybody,” says Gargano. “Moderately than stressing about each little element, crucial factor we are able to do is attempt to hold UPFs to lower than 20% of what we eat in a day. This manner we’re filling our our bodies with the macro- and micro-nutrients we want for our well being, however we’re additionally taking the chance to take pleasure in life and luxuriate in consuming by conserving a small quantity in our weight-reduction plan. Stability is the final word objective.”
Sources:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831323013820
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37087831/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03842-0
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-025-01143-7
- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/merchandise/databriefs/db536.htm
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-025-01143-7
- https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(19)30248-7
- https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/effectively/eat/avoiding-ultraprocessed-foods-might-double-weight-loss.html
