But while there\u2019s some fascinating research around this topic, I think we\u2019re in danger of losing our common sense around the issue of processed foods.<\/p>\n
The research and publicity around UPF have served to highlight our reliance on, often low-nutritional-value, prepackaged foods, and their potential health effects. But it\u2019s a hard no from me when UPF evangelists insist I can\u2019t use a bottle of tomato pasta sauce or must choose a super-expensive three-ingredient sourdough for family meals over an inexpensive wholemeal sliced loaf.<\/p>\n
Categorization Is Inexact and a Little Arbitrary<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n The main issue is with the\u00a0NOVA classification system<\/a>, by which most UPFs are categorized (there are other systems, too, which only add to the confusion). The NOVA system was developed by researchers at the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil, and has been widely adopted in studies and dietary guidelines. However, it reveals some unusual anomalies.<\/p>\n The problem is that the UPF categories \u2014 unprocessed, culinary, processed, and ultra-processed foods \u2014 encompass a vast and diverse range of foods, from ice cream and fizzy drinks to wholegrain bread and fortified soy milk. Some UPFs, though nutritionally beneficial, are penalized by the classification because of how they\u2019re made (e.g., using industrial methods).<\/p>\n In these cases, the more nutritious option is often classed as ultra-processed simply because of added ingredients like emulsifiers, fiber extracts, or vitamins \u2014 not because it\u2019s inherently unhealthy.<\/p>\n Other nutritious foods you\u2019d lose on a low-UPF diet include baked beans, fruit yogurts, bottled tomato pasta sauces, and plant milks like almond, soya, or oat milk \u2014 all obviously healthier than candy, cakes, and fizzy drinks.<\/p>\n What the Research Shows<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Observational research has suggested that a high ultra-processed food diet may be linked with increased risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and depression, as shown in studies in the\u00a0BMJ<\/a>,\u00a0British Journal of Nutrition<\/a>, Frontiers in Nutrition<\/a>, and\u00a0Nutrition Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n The AHA report says high UPF intake, especially products like sugary drinks, raises cardiometabolic risks by 25\u201358% and mortality by 21\u201366%. But it agrees that some UPFs, like wholegrain breads, can be nutrient-dense and beneficial, supporting the view that not all UPFs are villains.<\/p>\n Some of the most interesting and well-controlled research focuses on weight control.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/angela-1.png\")
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