Is food processing always a bad thing?Food processing isn’t a new concept. In fact, archaeological evidence suggests early humans have been using fire to process food for up to 780,000 years. Since then, we’ve increasingly leveraged new technologies to help us process, preserve, and package our way to a culinary landscape where the local seasons have little impact on what we see on our shelves. For the most part, this journey into food processing has been fairly positive for us. A true culinary enlightenment that continues to help us improve flavours, increase shelf-life, and unlock key nutrients within our food. In recent years, however, the positive narrative has taken a more negative turn following research into a relatively new group of foods, now known as ‘ultra-processed foods’ (UPFs).
When did 'ultra-processed food' take off?To understand where the concept of ‘ultra-processed’ foods began, we need to look back to 1990s Brazil, where nutritional epidemiologist Carlos Monteiro first observed a concerning trend of rising childhood obesity in his country.
Digging deeper, Monteiro’s research revealed a suspected link between rising obesity and a notable decrease in the consumption of fresh ingredients. Alongside this, his team saw a marked increase in the intake of highly processed foods such as sodas, sausages, instant noodles, packaged breads, and biscuits.
How is UPF classified?For the sake of research, Monteiro’s team came up with the NOVA food classification system that categorised foods into one of four groups, from raw foods (Group 1), to what they coined as “ultra-processed foods” (Group 4) - categorised as ‘formulations of ingredients that require complex processes and advanced equipment to make’.After their work on UPFs, Monteiro’s team linked these Group 4 foods to weight gain among both children and adults in Brazil. Since then, research has associated high intakes of UPFs with a variety of health issues, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, depression, and even premature death.
What exactly are 'ultra-processed' foods?Since Monteiro’s early definition, our understanding of what UPFs really are hasn’t changed a whole lot. UPFs are still broadly agreed to be highly engineered products that rely on industrial processes, additives, preservatives, and sweeteners for their taste and texture. But almost three decades later, UPFs remain without a universally agreed definition. And there are a few good reasons for this. Firstly, UPFs vary (a lot) - both in product and process. This means a wide spectrum of food products can fall into this category. Wide enough to include some relatively healthy foods too, like low-fat yoghurts or store-bought wholemeal breads. This has led to questions over what should be considered a UPF, and whether health impacts associated with UPFs are linked to processing or the products themselves.Secondly, there is no consensus on the number or types of processes involved for a product to be considered ultra-processed. Similarly, there is no specific ingredient list that clearly identifies when a product crosses the line from ‘processed’ to ‘ultra-processed’. But while this definition uncertainty has caused headaches for some researchers, there are still a few common tell-tales to help us pick apart the vast majority of UPFs from other processed foods.Dive deeper on the Monteiro's research and the origins of ultra-processed foods
How do I know if a food is ultra-processed?We now know that many UPFs are not great for us, at least not in excess. We also know broadly what they are. So how can we spot them? Thankfully, navigating them at the supermarket isn’t too difficult. One simple way to identify UPFs is to ask yourself if you could recreate that product in your own kitchen using ingredients you might find in any regular kitchen. If you can’t because of the ingredients or processes involved, it’s likely ultra-processed - think breakfast cereals, energy drinks, microwave meals, crisps, chicken nuggets, and many instant, 'slimming’ or low-fat products, margarine and mass-produced breads with refined flours.It is worth noting that not all UPFs are inherently bad for us. As with any food, if you want to sort the good from the bad, the standard rules apply - anything with high levels of sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats is more than likely not great for your health in excess.Learn more about the differences between processed and ultra-processed foodsAre ultra-processed foods really that bad for us?At this point, you might be thinking, ‘So what? These ultra-processed foods make life more convenient. All we have to do is moderate our intake if research suggests many of them are unhealthy’. And that would be a fair position to take. But the way UPFs were produced, targeted, and marketed is a long way from fair and the convenience of UPFs comes with a few hidden costs that we’re only now beginning to fully understand.
1. HealthWhile research can’t definitively prove exactly what part of UPFs causes negative health effects, increasing evidence links diets high in energy-dense fat, sugar and salt rich foods - common in many UPFs - to obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, and various cancers.
2. Hacking our habitsHumans are biologically wired to prioritise high-energy foods for survival, a trait that led our ancestors to seek calorie-dense options when food was scarce. Today, the food industry exploits this by skillfully designing UPFs that leverage these instincts. With high levels of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, many UPFs provide instant gratification and trigger the brain's reward systems that drive our cravings.Learn about the ancient brain behind your cravings
3. Designed for profitUPFs now make up about half the daily caloric intake of the average northern European, with many southern European countries also seeing a rise in consumption. Convenience and cravings aren't the only factors driving this; large companies use consumer data to determine what to produce, how to market it, and where it will be most profitable to sell. Next time you shop, look at what's strategically placed by the supermarket checkout (that’s not a coincidence).
4. You can’t eat what you can’t accessUPFs now dominate the food market, creating vast areas with limited access to cheap, fresh, healthy options. In the UK, around 25% of food outlets are fast food restaurants, rising to 31% in poorer districts. Additionally, healthy foods are expensive; in the UK for instance, fruits and vegetables cost over twice as much per calorie as foods high in fat and sugar.Learn why diet related disease isn't as simple as unhealthy choices
Can governments act to regulate UPF?With more research emerging to support the list of health and issues around UPFs, governments and regulators face increasing pressure to step in and reshape how we interact with these foods. And there are a few ways this can be done to level the playing field between producers and ourselves as consumers.Learn how Governments can protect us from ultra-processed foods and the companies selling them
In 2005, Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver successfully campaigned for healthier school dinners in the UK, leading to limits on fried foods, with many junk foods and fizzy drinks being banned. Photos via Getty Images.
How are communities pushing back? On a community level, some aren’t waiting around for regulators to become more involved. People like Chanowk are part of the push back against a food system that increasingly favours the financially fortunate. Void of choices, Chanowk and others like him are taking matters into their own hands - growing affordable fruit and vegetables in backyards or as part of a growing number of community and urban gardens around the world.Read about Chanowk's journey to break the junk food cycle
What can I do about ultra-processed food?For now, ultra-processed foods are an inescapable part of our global food landscape. That’s not likely to change anytime soon. But there is plenty we can do on an individual, community, and governmental level to keep large food companies accountable and help us regain sovereignty over our food choices. We now understand more about the health and social impacts of UPFs than ever before. And with that knowledge comes an opportunity to reshape our relationship with these foods in the future.Curious to learn more about the past, present, and future impacts of UPFs? Dive deeper in this FoodUnfolded special, taking you on a journey from simple breakdowns on the history of food processing, to the chemistry behind your ancient cravings, personal stories on resilience, and global outlooks for the ways UPFs are changing the course of our global food systems.
Editor’s note: as with all of our work across our channels, everything we publish has been reviewed for factual accuracy. Original sources for any statements, statistics, or figures in this piece can be found within the full versions of the articles listed above.