Is the difference between processed and ultra-processed food a matter of degree? Health experts have long railed against processed foods, but more recently seem to differentiate between processed and ultra-processed foods. This made me wonder, what’s the difference? Perhaps you’re wondering too.
The idea of ultra-processed food as a separate category began to circulate around 2009 when a Brazilian researcher, Carlos A. Montiero, coined the term in a scientific paper. The following year, he and his colleagues developed the NOVA Classification System for grouping foods according to level of processing. This system is currently used worldwide.
The NOVA Classification System has four categories: Unprocessed and minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods. These categories range from fresh eggs, fruits, and vegetables to industrial formulations with five or more ingredients.
In spite of this widely used system, there is no set definition of ultra-processed. Other definitions include: foods changed by science until they’re almost unrecognizable from their original form; foods that have been altered to include fats, starches, sugars, salts and hydrogenated oils extracted from other foods; formulations not used in culinary preparations.
Why are ultra-processed foods relevant?
When you’re attempting to follow a healthy diet, these foods can be detrimental. They have been linked to increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, some cancers, and inflammation. And many are full of chemicals that may be harmful to some people.
For me, it seems many categories of processed foods have added ultra-processed options. And some long-standing processed foods have changed formulations or added ingredients that push them into the ultra category. And it isn’t always the cheapest food that contains the most additives.
What falls into the ultra-processed category?
Pretty much anything with a long list of additives and preservatives. When using the NOVA system, whole grain breads, lightly sweetened breakfast cereal or yogurt, and peanut butter may fit the criteria for ultra-processed. But as we know, not all breads, cereals, or yogurts are created equal.
Before you start throwing food in the trash, take a moment to review why you are choosing a particular product. If it’s for shelf-life or convenience, be realistic. If you eliminate a particular food, are you more likely to drive through a fast-food restaurant to fill the gap you created? If so, elimination may not be the best goal.
Is there a replacement you find appetizing, or can adjust to, that is processed, but not ultra-processed? If so, substitution may be a better goal. Some products, like peanut butter, are available in natural versions that contain only peanuts and salt. As long as the sodium content is reasonable, the natural version is a reasonable healthier replacement.
Plain yogurt that you sweeten with honey and top with fresh fruit is healthier than fruit-flavored, sweetened yogurt even though the yogurt itself is processed. Sparkling water with a squeeze of orange or lemon juice is healthier than canned flavored water which is healthier than a soda. Plain tortilla chips are healthier than nacho cheese flavored chips.
In fact, it can be helpful to know that processed simply means altered from its original form. This means common ingredients like the sugar, butter, and flour we use for scratch cooking are “processed.” Heating, pasteurizing, canning, and drying are also kinds of processing.
When I pick something from the garden, it’s unprocessed. Once I’ve cleaned it and removed any inedible parts, it’s been through the first stage of processing. After that, if I bake, boil, or freeze, it’s been through another stage of processing. But as long as I haven’t soaked it in salt or fat, it’s still a healthy food.
If I bake cookies, I am processing the flours with heat, plus combining them with fats and sugars. By definition, my homemade cookies can be called processed. The amount of fat and sugar will determine their level of healthiness, but they will most likely be healthier than a packaged version because that is all they contain. It is not uncommon for packaged products to include ingredients that are not on the label because they fall below the level required for listing.
Rather than being alarmed by the word processed or getting caught up in a war of definitions that causes you to eliminate convenience to the point it impedes your goals, choose products with fewer chemicals, additives, preservatives (including sodium, sugar, and fat), sweeteners, and flavorings. Cook and freeze when you can. Choose fresh as often as possible.
Remember that ultra-processed is a matter of degree. It’s the most changed and/or added to result of food production. When you regularly choose the least altered foods, you’ll automatically be on a healthier path. And we’ll be here cheering you on!
