Are Ultra-Processed Foods Always Bad? Nutrition Experts Explain What to Know

Many people have read or heard that ultra-processed foods have been linked to serious health conditions, including cancer and dementia. But what’s often missing from these conversations is clarity around which foods are considered ultra-processed. We asked dietitians to explain what ultra-processed foods are, what the research says about them, and where they should fit in your diet.

“Many ultra-processed foods are easy to recognize,” explains Jennifer Pallian, a registered dietitian and founder of Foodess. A few of the examples she lists include soft drinks, packaged sweet and savory snacks, candy, cakes, instant noodles, frozen pizza, and chicken nuggets “Some foods, however, may be more surprising,” she says, “Products marketed as ‘healthy,’ ‘light,’ ‘organic,’ ‘vegan,’ or ‘gluten-free’ are not necessarily minimally processed. For instance, many plant-based meat substitutes and dairy alternatives are considered ultra-processed, as are some granola bars, flavored yogurts, packaged breakfast cereals, crackers, applesauce, and mass-produced breads.”

Below, experts explain what to know about ultra-processed foods and share guidance on how much of these foods you should be eating.

What are ultra-processed foods?

Ultra-processed foods are part of a newer food classification system called the NOVA scale. Under the system, foods are grouped into four main categories, according to Harvard Health:

• Unprocessed and minimally processed foods: These foods are in their natural state or barely altered, with vitamins and nutrients still intact. Example: carrots, avocados and milk.
• Processed culinary ingredients: These are ingredients created from a minimally processed food by pressing, refining, grinding or milling. Think: olive oil or almond flour.
• Processed foods: These are foods that are changed from their natural state, usually with the addition of sugar, oil, salt or other substances. Example: canned tuna and some cheeses.
• Ultra-processed foods: Ultra-processed foods are processed foods that take things a step further, adding ingredients like artificial colours and flavours, preservatives for shelf stability, and ingredients to preserve texture. These include many packaged foods.

Kristine Dilley, a dietitian, admits that the definitions of food processing can be confusing.

“So many foods that people think of as ‘whole foods’ technically are minimally processed, like frozen fruit or vegetables, or those bags of pre-cut veggies at the supermarket,” she says. However, she points out, NOVA defines ultra-processed foods as “having at least five ingredients (often many more) and containing ingredients not commonly used in culinary preparations.”

In general, ultra-processed foods “are foods that have been combined with a significant amount of manufactured ingredients,” says Scott Keatley, a dietitian.

The term “ultra-processed foods” usually means they lack nutritional value, explains Beth Warren, a dietitian and author of Secrets of a Kosher Girl. But, she adds, “this isn’t always the case. It can also mean the processed ingredients put in are there to enhance sweetness or sodium levels, in which case they’re not the healthiest options.”

Ultra-processed foods list

Many foods qualify as ultra-processed. Those can include:

• Frozen meals
• Soft drinks
• Hot dogs
• Deli meat
• Fast food
• Packaged biscuits
• Cakes
• Salty snacks
• Plant-based milks
• Jarred sauces

Why might ultra-processed foods be bad for you?

Several studies have suggested that ultra-processed foods aren’t good for your health. In December 2022, a study published in JAMA Neurology linked ultra-processed foods to faster cognitive decline.

The study followed 10,775 people for 10 years and had them fill out questionnaires about the food they ate and their kilojoule intake. At the end of the study, participants were assessed for changes in cognitive performance over time using specialised tests. The researchers found that people who got 20 per cent or more of their daily kilojoules from ultra-processed foods had a 28 per cent faster rate of overall cognitive decline. Another study, published in July 2022, also linked ultra-processed foods to a greater risk of dementia.

Two large studies published in 2022 also raised concerns. One, published in the British Medical Journal, analysed data from roughly 46,000 men and 160,000 women and found that men who ate the most ultra-processed foods had a 29 per cent higher risk of developing bowel cancer. (The same association wasn’t found for women.)

Another study published in the British Medical Journal analysed the diets of more than 22,000 people in Italy and their mortality risk over 12 years. The researchers found that those whose diets were heavy in ultra-processed foods had a higher risk of developing chronic disease or dying prematurely, particularly from cardiovascular disease.

“There are a couple of reasons why these foods aren’t as good for you as their less processed counterparts. The food has been broken down to its simplest parts, which makes it far more digestible than less processed foods,” Scott says. “While this doesn’t sound like a bad thing, giving your body access to high-energy fats and simple sugars with limited fibre can increase blood sugar very quickly and activate the reward centre of the brain, keeping us coming back for more and potentially overeating.”

In addition, he says, “the more times fats and oils are heated, the more likely it is for trans-fatty acids to occur.” (Trans fats raise levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and lower beneficial HDL cholesterol, which can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke, Dietitians Australia explains.)

The link between ultra-processed foods and poor health may also be about more than the foods themselves. “It may be that these foods directly cause these diseases, or the rest of the diet and lifestyle of those who eat these foods,” says Sonya Angelone, a dietitian. “In other words, it may be a lack of healthier foods that increases risk for these diseases.”

A 2026 study published in the American Journal of Public Health suggests the processing itself may independently have a negative impact on health. Researchers found that people who ate more ultra-processed foods had worse health outcomes, even after accounting for the overall nutritional quality of those foods. “The findings suggest ultra-processed-food factors beyond nutrients – such as changes to foods’ cellular structure, loss of beneficial chemical compounds, additives and chemicals from packaging – may create health risks not addressed by traditional nutrition metrics or policies,” says the study’s senior author, cardiologist Dr Dariush Mozaffarian.

Is it OK to have some ultra-processed foods?

Experts stress that you aren’t going to keel over if you have ultra-processed foods here and there, but it’s a good idea to be aware of how much of these foods you’re eating on a regular basis.

“Completely avoiding ultra-processed foods is unrealistic,” says Jennifer. “That’s because they’re inexpensive, convenient, widely available and deeply woven into modern food culture, making them difficult for many people to eliminate entirely. A more practical approach is to gradually replace frequently eaten ultra-processed foods with minimally processed alternatives.”

“Not all ultra-processed foods are bad for you, and many are helpful if you have dietary allergies or restrictions, such as plant-based milk,” Beth says. Worth noting: One of the British Medical Journal studies found that women who ate processed foods including yoghurt and dairy-based desserts actually had a lowered risk of bowel cancer.

Ultra-processed foods are also just more convenient, Scott points out. “We don’t have the ability to harvest our own wheat for the bread we’re going to make, or milk our own cows – every single day,” he says. “It’s okay to use these products to supplement a generally healthy diet. This would look like a nice-sized plate of minimally processed foods like fish, vegetables and grains, along with maybe a cup of ultra-processed soy milk… The problems occur when we go the other way – consuming mostly ultra-processed foods.”

Still, Kristine warns about the health halo surrounding some plant-based ultra-processed foods. “Food manufacturers and marketing professionals jump on health trends and try to make convenience versions of the recommended ‘healthy’ foods,” she says. “Plant-focused eating has been at the forefront the last few years, leading to a plethora of ultra-processed foods that fit into that category – veggie burgers, fake chicken patties or many other vegan products that come in a box. Many of these items still qualify as ultra-processed and are likely not bringing the nutritional value the consumer expects based on the marketing.”

“Folks still need to read labels,” advises Deborah Cohen, a dietitian and associate professor of clinical and preventive nutrition sciences. That can mean making sure to buy only plant-based milk that’s unsweetened and tofu that doesn’t have added sugar or added fats, she says.

Ultimately, Beth says, “it’s helpful to try to look for ‘less processed’ foods because [many] products on the market today will have some degree of processing, and that doesn’t make them bad.”

Deborah adds, “Eating ultra-processed foods on a very occasional basis is OK – however, they should definitely not be the mainstay of anyone’s diet.”

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