Better health, fewer ultra-processed foods: a guide to smarter choices
A food is considered unprocessed or minimally processed when it remains essentially intact, just as it occurs in nature, or has undergone only small changes from its original state. These changes are typically made to improve preservation and/or to make the food suitable for human consumption.
Some degree of food processing is very common. For example, foods may be cooked or have basic culinary ingredients such as salt, sugar, or vegetable oils added. When these processes occur at an industrial level, the products are referred to as processed foods (such as canned vegetables or fruit in syrup). This category also includes foods like fresh bread and preserved fish or meat. The type and extent of processing in these foods can vary widely, and these differences have important implications both for their nutritional value and for health.
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Fresh bread
This is a simply processed food, made by mixing and baking basic ingredients such as flour, water, yeast, and salt, without added additives. When eaten in appropriate amounts, it can be part of a healthy diet.
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Canned and preserved meat and fish
These are highly processed foods, often subjected to complex preservation methods such as salting, smoking, or the addition of preservatives like nitrites and nitrates. When consumed frequently, they may have negative effects on health.
Ultra-processed foods are packaged products that have undergone multiple and complex industrial transformations. Many of these processes require specialized equipment and advanced technologies.
The typical ingredients of these foods include substances that are rarely used in home cooking, such as refined sugars, proteins, and oil-derived ingredients (for example high-fructose corn syrup, maltodextrins, and hydrogenated fats), and a wide range of food additives (for example colorings, flavorings, flavor enhancers, emulsifiers, thickeners, and artificial sweeteners) used to improve the appearance, texture, taste, and shelf life of the final product.
Ultra-processed foods include ready meals and frozen convenience foods, sugary drinks, processed meats, fast-food items, a variety of sauces, and packaged sweet or savory snacks. The category also includes products that are sometimes mistakenly considered healthy, such as certain breakfast cereals or sweetened fruit yogurts, which are often enriched with added sugars, fats, and refined starches (Figure 1).
Recognizing these foods is not always easy or immediate, but reading the label on the package can be very helpful for making informed choices: in general, the fewer ingredients a product contains, the more likely it is to be healthier. When the ingredient list becomes long and includes additives that are not typically used in home cooking—often appearing under unfamiliar or complex names—the likelihood increases that the food has been highly processed or ultra-processed.
The availability of ultra-processed foods has increased significantly worldwide, driven by their relatively low cost and the intensive marketing strategies used to promote their purchase and consumption. As a result, diets may become nutritionally unbalanced, since these products are typically high in calories, low in nutritional value, and not very filling. They often contain large amounts of sugars and fats, while providing limited amounts of essential nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, and other micronutrients.
Several factors and mechanisms may explain the adverse cardiometabolic risks associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods. Available epidemiological evidence suggests that these foods can pose a threat to health, particularly when they become a major component of the daily diet. Some studies have also examined the link between ultra-processed foods and cancer. In particular, their consumption has been associated with increased accumulation of body fat and, consequently, with overweight and obesity—conditions that are themselves linked to a higher risk of developing certain types of cancer.
From a cancer prevention and risk-reduction perspective, theWorld Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting the consumption of processed foods high in fats and sugars. This guidance also applies after a cancer diagnosis. For this reason, it is important to prioritize fresh and minimally processed foods: although they may require more time in the kitchen than ready-made meals or foods designed to be heated in the microwave, they offer important advantages, including a higher intake of nutrients, fewer additives, and a more authentic flavor.
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Conclusions
Taking care of your diet means investing in both everyday well-being and long-term prevention. Choosing fresh, minimally processed foods is a simple and practical step toward better health.