Every time you choose whole food over something highly processed, you invest in your longevity, new research suggests. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that every 10% increase in total calories from ultra-processed foods raises the risk of early death by 3% . Keep reading to find out how you can better protect your health with the food you eat.
What exactly is a processed food?
Before you dig into the details of the new study, it's helpful to know that just because food is in plastic doesn't mean it's processed, and the levels of processing vary. The studies in this research categorized food according to the NOVA food classification system . Here's an overview of the guidelines they used:
Minimally processed foods start as unprocessed foods and undergo treatment, such as freezing, drying, or pasteurization to boost safety or shelf life. No ingredients are added. Examples: frozen vegetables, parboiled rice, pasteurized milk.
Processed culinary ingredients are made from nature or unprocessed or minimally processed foods using methods such as grinding or refining. Examples: salt, sugar, honey, vegetable oils.
Processed foods contain a few unprocessed or minimally processed foods plus processed culinary ingredients. They might also have tiny amounts of antioxidants, stabilizers or preservatives for freshness. Examples: fruit canned with sugar, salted nuts, cheese.
Ultra-processed foods usually have five or more — typically many more — ingredients, such as food dyes, flavor enhancers, non-sugar sweeteners and other additives for texture. Examples: soda, ice cream, energy drinks, frozen pizza, sausage, hot dogs, powdered soups, mass-produced baked goods.
What did this study find?
The researchers analyzed data from seven studies connecting ultra-processed foods with premature death. The studies all defined ultra-processed foods in the same way detailed above. The data showed that every 10% increase in calories from heavily industrialized foods resulted in a 3% increase in premature death risk.
“This figure is impressive yet not unexpected, because other recent studies found impacts of the same magnitude,” says study author Eduardo Nilson, D.Sc. , a researcher at the Epidemiological Research Center in Nutrition and Health – Nupens at the University of São Paulo in Brazil.
Interestingly, in this study, the risk of premature death climbed as people consumed more ultra-processed food. So, for example, going from a diet of 10% ultra-processed food to 20% doubled risk, Nilson explains.
Next, researchers estimated the contribution of ultra-processed foods to premature mortality in eight countries. The U.S. and U.K. tied for the top spot, with 14% of premature deaths linked to ultra-processed foods.
“The difference between countries with lower (yet increasing) consumption of ultra-processed foods and those with higher consumption shows that large impacts on preventable deaths could be potentially achieved by reducing ultra-processed food consumption,” says Nilson.
Why are ultra-processed foods linked to early death?
One explanation: High intake of heavily processed food is associated with cardiovascular disease, the top cause of death, but Nilson says other conditions are likely part of the equation, too. “Potential health effects of ultra-processed foods might be mediated through weight gain, high cholesterol, gut microbiome changes, inflammation, blood sugar spikes, insulin resistance and high blood pressure,” he says.
Why might these foods have so many unsavory effects? For starters, ultra-processed foods are often high in sodium, fat, sugar and calories, all of which can contribute to cardiometabolic diseases. But that might not be all.
“Processing drastically changes the structure of food, meaning ultra-processed foods might affect the body differently than unprocessed foods, even if they have similar nutrients,” he says. “For example, their broken-down texture could alter how quickly they're digested, how full they make you feel, blood sugar levels and even gut bacteria.”
Think about an apple versus a product with apple juice concentrate — like a sweet syrup. You absorb the sugar in the apple slowly thanks to natural components like fiber. You absorb the fructose in juice fast, says Nilson.
Another problem? Highly processed foods are easy to eat, which leaves less room for more nutritious choices. They're often ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat meals, snacks and beverages that are manufactured to be more convenient and flavorful, so they end up taking the place of fresh and minimally processed foods in a person's diet, explains Nilson.
How to eat fewer ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed food consumption is a global public health issue, according to the researchers. Public policies, they say, should incentivize us to eat fresh and minimally processed foods. In the meantime, Nilson recommends shopping for local, seasonal items as much as possible — perfect timing as farmer's market season ramps up.
Overall, the best way to reduce your intake of ultra-processed foods is to start with small changes, says Jessica Crandall, R.D.N., C.D.C.E.S. , a registered dietitian and medical advisor at FuturHealth. “You do not have to change your whole diet and lifestyle overnight — in fact, I actually recommend not doing that,” says Crandall.
Swap out a highly processed snack you normally would eat for fruit with plain yogurt or vegetables with hummus.
Meal prep overnight oats so they're ready in the morning.
Stock your pantry and fridge with minimally processed staples — like beans, frozen vegetables, whole grains and plain yogurt — so it's easier to prepare healthy meals even on busy days.
“I encourage an 80/20 approach: if 80% of your food intake comes from whole or minimally processed sources, the other 20% can include convenience foods or occasional treats,” says Crandall.
Julie Stewart