Social Media Ideas for Ultra-Processed Foods

Ultra-Processed Foods and Human Health: An Update

We have discussed the science and art of diet and the science and technology of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) here several times before.  The arguments continue, as does the researc...

Ultra-processed foods – what to avoid

Research suggests that ultra-processed foods are bad for our health but how do we identify those that are most harmful?

Ultra-processed Food Regulations in Schools & What They May Mean for Vegans

by Alexandra Holzinger, VRG intern In recent years, the concept of an “ultra-processed food” (UPF) has become a growing focus of public health policy across the U.S. It stems from...

Ultra-Processed Foods Cause Most High-Risk Food Safety Notifications for Acrylamide in EU

Acrylamide is a harmful contaminant that forms during thermal processing. An analysis of 17 years of EU RASFF data showed that UPFs accounted for 85 percent of related notification...

Ultra-processed foods linked to hidden muscle fat that may threaten your knees

Eating more ultra-processed foods was linked to greater fat buildup inside thigh muscles, according to MRI scans of 615 adults at risk for knee osteoarthritis. Surprisingly, the as...

The More Ultra-Processed Food People Ate, the Higher Their Risk of Disease and Death

Every extra 100 grams of ultra-processed food eaten daily was linked to higher risks of chronic disease and death, a large analysis found. Ready-to-eat meals and heat-and-serve sna...

Study Finds Most Toddler Foods Are Ultra-Processed, With Many Missing Nutrition Benchmarks

Research presented at NUTRITION 2026 found that most toddler foods examined in a 21-store audit in Austin, Texas, were classified as ultra-processed. Researchers reviewed 2,783 pac...

Sports Foods Are Ultra-Processed: New Review Weighs Athlete Health Against Performance

Athletes have long reached for engineered nutrition, from the carbohydrate drinks that emerged in the 1960s to today’s bars, gels and protein-fortified snacks. But a new narrative...

Ultra-processed food has links to food safety

If approved, California's Bill 2244 would allow for certified labels to be placed on foods that don’t fall under the state’s definition of ultra-processed foods. 

More Than Research? Why the Coming Federal Definition of Ultra-Processed Foods Matters

What actually makes ultraprocessed foods unhealthy?

Scientists can’t figure out why ultraprocessed foods are unhealthy for us—and new studies suggest that the “processing” isn’t the problem

State Legislation Regarding Ultra-Processed Foods & Possible Effects on Vegan Diets

by Alexandra Holzinger and Emily Shoemaker, VRG interns Introduction In recent years, the concept of an “Ultra-processed Food” (UPF) has entered the policy world as a topic of high...

A New Ultra-Processed Foods Study’s Surprising Results, Explained

In a 461,682-person study of adults aged 50 to 71, whole grains and dairy from ultra-processed foods were linked to lower colorectal cancer risk.

Same Calories, Same Nutrients – but One Meal Triggered a Surprising Reaction in the Body

Two meals looked nearly identical nutritionally, yet the ultraprocessed option triggered more insulin release in healthy adults, hinting at differences nutrition labels may miss. U...

The science and politics behind the panic over ultraprocessed foods

The very definition of ultraprocessed is highly contested.

A Giant New Study Tied an Extra 3½ Ounces of Ultra-Processed Food a Day to Higher Health Risks

A 3½-ounce bag of corn chips is a surprisingly useful way to picture a finding from a giant new analysis of ultra-processed foods. Researchers used that amount as a daily benchmark...

Children who eat more ultraprocessed foods show stronger brain responses to appetizing foods

Children who eat more ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) show stronger responses in the brain's reward network when viewing images of appetizing foods—and these brain responses are linked...

Ultra-processed Foods in The Senate: What’s Going On?

by Emily Shoemaker, VRG Intern Senate bill 5026, the Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act of 2026, was presented by Senator Bernie Sanders on July 16th, 2026. The bill’s intended scope...

Eating more ultra-processed foods may raise prostate cancer risk by 30%

Ultra-processed foods make up a huge share of the American diet, and new research suggests they may carry another serious health risk for men. In a nationally representative study...

A Month Without Ultra-Processed Food Changed These People in Ways They Did Not Expect

For people who try a month without ultra-processed food, the first surprise may be how often it appears in a day. Breakfast cereal, a packaged snack between meetings or … The post...

Warning items in supermarket meal deals lead to heart attacks and strokes

Those in a study of 8.8 million people who ate more ultra processed foods (UPFs), such as pre-made supermarket sandwiches, had higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and early death

I Set Out to Quit Buying Ultra-Processed Foods, and Picked Up 4 Key Tips I’ll Use Forever

For the past five years, I’ve been on a mission to cut back on the ultra-processed foods my family eats. While people define ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in a few different ways, t...

Just one small serving of ultra-processed food a day linked to higher disease risk, major study finds

A study of nearly 8.8 million adults links every extra 100 grams of ultra-processed foods daily to higher risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

What are 'non-ultraprocessed' foods? With a new label, California is about to make that call

California is creating a front-of-package label for what it deems non-ultraprocessed foods. Some say a nationwide definition is needed to avoid confusing consumers.