For years, the term “junk food” has been used to refer to foods considered unhealthy and low in nutrition. But junk food can mean different things to different people.
Official dietary guidelines have used more palatable terms such as “discretionary foods”, “occasional foods” and “foods high in sugar, salt and fat”. But these labels have not always made it easy to identify nutritious foods. After all, many fresh fruits are high in sugar and some salad greens are low in nutrients, but that doesn’t make them unhealthy. And food products such as “no sugar added” soft drinks and muesli bars fortified with nutrient additives are not necessarily healthy.
In 2009, proposed experts use the extent and purpose of industrial food processing as a key indicator of nutrition issues.
The theory recognized that food processing helps make food more convenient, safer and tastier. But he also designated a class of foods – called “ultra-processed foods” – as unhealthy, based on more than just salt, fat and sugar content.
A large body of evidence now shows that eating ultra-processed foods is associated with Human health (including rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity) and planetary health (plastic pollution, excessive energy and land consumption, loss of biodiversity).
But how can you spot these foods when planning what to buy or eat?
What counts as an ultra-processed food?
Ultra-processed foods are made using industrial processing methods and contain ingredients you typically won’t find in your pantry.
Treatment methods used may include extrusion, molding, chemical modification and hydrogenation (which can transform liquid unsaturated fats into a more solid form). But manufacturers don’t need to list the processes the food goes through on the label, so it can be difficult to identify ultra-processed foods. The best place to start is with the ingredient list.
There are two types of ingredients that classify ultra-processed foods: industrial food substances and cosmetic additives. Food substances include processed versions of protein and fiber (such as whey powder or inulin), maltodextrin (an intensely processed carbohydrate), fructose or glucose syrups, and hydrogenated oils.
Cosmetic additives are used to improve the texture, taste or color of food. They make ultra-processed foods more attractive and irresistibly tasty (contributing to their overconsumption). Examples are colors and flavors (including those listed as “natural”), non-caloric sweeteners (including stevia), flavor enhancers (such as yeast extract and MSG), and thickeners and emulsifiers (which change the texture of a food).
8 foods you might not know were ultra-processed
Ultra-processed isn’t just another name for junk food — although foods like sodas, candies, and crisps are ultra-processed. There are many packaged foods that we would normally consider healthy that are ultra-processed.
But are all ultra-processed foods bad?
Some types of ultra-processed foods may seem healthier than others because they contain fewer processed ingredients or contain less sugar. But these are not necessarily less harmful to our health. We know Australians consume up to 42% of their energy from ultra-processed foods and the cumulative effect of industrial ingredients on the whole diet is unknown.
In addition, when you consume an ultra-processed food, you can replace a fresh food or a nutritious dish from your diet. Thus, reducing ultra-processed foods as much as possible is a way to switch to a healthier and more sustainable food. Without being exhaustive, there are online databases who rate specific products to guide food choices.
Supermarkets are dominated by ultra-processed foods, so it can be hard to avoid them completely. And sometimes the choices are limited by availability, food allergies or intolerances. We can all make positive changes to our diets by choosing less processed foods. But governments can also legislate to make minimally processed foods more available and affordable, while discourage the purchase and consumption of ultra-processed foods.
