Ultra-processed foods (UPF)
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrial formulations made mostly from substances extracted from foods, often with additives you wouldn't use when cooking at home.
On this page
The NOVA groups
| Group | What it is | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Unprocessed or minimally processed | Whole foods, maybe dried, frozen, pasteurised or ground | Fresh fruit and veg, eggs, milk, plain meat and fish, oats, rice, frozen peas |
| 2. Processed culinary ingredients | Things you cook with | Oils, butter, sugar, salt, flour |
| 3. Processed foods | Group 1 foods with group 2 added, made to last longer or taste better | Cheese, canned fish and beans, fresh bread, salted nuts |
| 4. Ultra-processed foods | Industrial formulations with ingredients you wouldn't find in a kitchen | Fizzy drinks, crisps, most packaged snacks and sweets, reconstituted meat, many breakfast cereals, protein bars |
How to spot a UPF
Read the ingredients list (see How to read food labels). A food is probably ultra-processed if it contains things you wouldn't cook with at home, such as:
- Emulsifiers, thickeners and gums (lecithins, carrageenan, xanthan gum)
- Flavourings, sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K) and flavour enhancers
- Modified starches, protein isolates, invert sugar, hydrogenated oils, maltodextrin
A long ingredients list is a clue, but not proof.
What the evidence says
Research spotlight
In a strict inpatient trial, 20 adults ate about 500 kcal more a day on an ultra-processed diet than on an unprocessed one, when both were matched for sugar, fat, fibre and salt, and gained about 0.9 kg in two weeks.
Large reviews of observational studies link higher UPF intake with higher risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, common mental health problems and early death3. These studies show links, not proof of cause: people who eat more UPFs differ in lots of ways.
A practical approach for lifters
- Build most meals from group 1 foods: meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, grains, fruit and veg.
- Protein bars, shakes and flavoured yoghurts are technically UPFs, but they can be a helpful way to hit your protein. Treat them as convenience, not the foundation.
- Some UPFs are good for you: wholemeal sliced bread, fortified plant drinks and some breakfast cereals bring fibre and nutrients.
- Aim for mostly whole foods rather than perfection.
MythAll processed food is bad.
FactFrozen veg, canned beans, tinned fish and plain yoghurt are processed and very nutritious.
MythIf it's high in protein, it's healthy.
FactA protein label on a sweet or snack doesn't make it a balanced food. Check the calories, sugar and saturated fat too.
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References
- Monteiro CA, Cannon G, Levy RB, et al. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutr. 2019;22(5):936-941. doi:10.1017/S1368980018003762
- Hall KD, Ayuketah A, Brychta R, et al. Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: an inpatient randomized controlled trial of ad libitum food intake. Cell Metab. 2019;30(1):67-77.e3. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008
- Lane MM, Gamage E, Du S, et al. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. BMJ. 2024;384:e077310. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-077310
- Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. SACN statement on processed foods and health. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, 2023.