Nutrition
Cutting ultra-processed food
It's not one nutrient that matters but the degree of processing: every +10% of energy from UPF tracks with 3–4% more mortality, and in an RCT it caused +500 kcal of overeating a day.
Impact 4/54/5· RCTs / large cohortsEffort: a habit
First step today
Today: read the ingredient lists of your three most-bought products and replace the one with more than 5 unfamiliar words.
How
The ingredient list is the test: if it contains things you don't keep in your kitchen (modified starch, isolates, emulsifiers, flavourings, sweeteners), it's UPF. Target: < 20% of energy. Swap, don't ban: plain yoghurt plus fruit instead of flavoured; bakery bread; nuts for snacks.
Evidence
Hall 2019 (NIH, n=20, crossover RCT, all food provided): on the UPF diet participants ate 508 kcal more per day and gained 0.9 kg in 2 weeks, on the unprocessed diet they lost the same — with matched nutrient composition. Meta-analysis (2024, BMJ, 45 analyses, n=9.9 million): higher UPF intake → +21% mortality, +50% cardiovascular death, +22% depression.
Goals
Healthy yearsBody weightHeart, blood sugarBrain, memory
Related studies
Sources
Last reviewed: 6 September 2026
This site is educational and does not replace medical advice. Start any supplement or drug only after consulting a doctor or pharmacist.