Your Questions about Ultraprocessed Foods (UPF) Answered

Q. Why is ultraprocessed food a problem?

A. Eating a diet high in ultraprocessed foods is linked to all sorts of health issues, including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Most ultraprocessed products are what we think of as junk food, meaning they are high in added sugars, salt and saturated fat and low in fiber, vitamins and minerals. But scientists are discovering that things like pizza, french fries and packaged muffins also tend to have additional qualities that may make them unhealthy. foods often pack more calories per gram than less processed foods and contain certain combinations of sodium, fat, sugar and carbs that can make us crave them.

Q. Why is it in the Trump administration’s new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued in January?

A. The federal dietary guidelines have long recommended that people limit added sugars, saturated fats and sodium. The new dietary guidelines advise Americans to specifically avoid highly processed foods with added sugars and salt, like packaged chips, cookies and candy. They also caution people to limit foods and drinks with additives including artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes and artificial preservatives. Not everyone agrees on a definition for ultraprocessed foods. Scientists generally define them as items with ingredients that you wouldn’t typically find in a home kitchen, like high-fructose corn syrup and emulsifiers.

Q. Is it tough to stop eating ultraprocessed foods?

A. Yes, scientists have found. These products, because they are so easy to chew and digest quickly, hit the brain rapidly and can have a strong effect on its reward system, which is involved in pleasure, motivation and learning. Chocolate, ice cream, french fries, pizza and chips are among the top foods that people report eating in an addictive way.

Q. Do you eat ultraprocessed foods?

A. I do. In fact, craving something sweet, I just grabbed a post-lunch packaged brownie from WSJ’s snack-food stash. I try to limit my intake of ultraprocessed foods. The easiest way I find to do that is by cooking most of my meals and snacking on things like fruit and nuts. I also largely steer clear of sugary drinks and processed meats like bacon and sausage. These are the ultraprocessed foods that are most strongly linked to health problems.