Ultra-Processed Foods: How to Spot Them and Their Health Impacts

Understanding Ultra-Processed Foods

• 💡 Ultra-processed foods are a significant part of the US diet, making up close to 70% of the food supply.
• 🧠 These foods contain ingredients engineered to alter color, texture, and taste, making them more appealing.
• ⚠️ A recent study links ultra-processed foods to serious health impacts, including chronic conditions like diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, and even early death.

Regulatory Differences: US vs. Europe

• ⚖️ In the US, the FDA uses the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) principle, allowing companies to bypass some safety processes for additives.
• 🇪🇺 In Europe, additives must be proven safe before they can be used in food products.
• 🔍 This leads to differences in product formulations, such as American-style sandwich bread having more ingredients than its French counterpart, and ketchup in France using simpler ingredients.

Food Dyes and Additives

• 🌈 European products often feature more muted colors because they use different or more heavily regulated food dyes compared to the US.
• 🍫 Mars, Inc. has announced that products made without certain food dyes will be available in the US starting in 2026.

Navigating Grocery Stores and Diet Choices

• ✅ Not all processed foods are bad; for example, turkey bacon is processed but can be consumed in moderation.
• 🛒 A key tip for healthier shopping is to stay around the perimeter of the grocery store as much as possible, where fresh foods are typically located.
• 📱 Apps are available to scan food items and provide a breakdown of their nutritional content and healthiness.
• 📺 For more in-depth information, tune into the full special "Gut Check: The Food We Eat" streaming on ABC News Live.