Can Processed Foods Be Good for You?
By Najla Zaidi | 20 Aug, 2025

A processed food is any food or drink that has been changed in some way when it’s made or prepared.

The latest debate is whether processed and especially ultra-processed food is good for you.  Processed food is food that’s changed in any way from its natural state.  This can range from washing, canning, freezing to baking.  Regardless of what has been done to the food, it’s now considered, “processed.” 

There are four categories of how food is processed.  The levels of food processing are classified under the NOVA scale, a framework for classifying edible substances.  This scale puts foods into four main categories. 

The first category is unprocessed and minimally processed foods.  This includes foods that are in their natural state or barely altered, like apples, frozen vegetables, dried beans and roasted nuts. 

The next level is processed culinary ingredients.  These ingredients are created through minimal processing, like pressing, refining, grinding, or milling.  This category includes things like olive oil and wheat flour.

The third level of processed foods are foods that are changed from their natural state.  They typically have sugar, oil, salt, or other substances added.  Canned tuna and some cheese fall under this umbrella.

Finally, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contain ingredients like artificial colors and flavors, preservatives for shelf stability, and other ingredients to preserve texture.  Many packaged foods are considered ultra-processed.  As you may guess, this is the worst category of all, and you probably won’t be surprised to learn that new data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found Americans over the age of 1 get 55% of their daily calories from ultra-processed food.  That number jumped to 62% for children between 1 and 18 years old.

“Ultra-processed foods are the perfect storm to promote overconsumption and weight gain: They are laboratory engineered to maximize appeal, are calorie-dense, and have little or no fiber or other healthful nutrients,” said Stephen Devries, MD, a preventive cardiologist and executive director of the educational nonprofit Gaples Institute in Chicago.

“Health consequences of ultra-processed foods are dire.  A large study conducted over 19 years showed a 31% higher mortality for the highest versus lowest consumers of ultra-processed foods,” he explained.  “The concerns include recent documentation of an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dementia.”

“These alarming statistics go a long way to explain the record-breaking prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and all of the adverse health consequences that follow,” he added. 

The American Heart Association’s (AHA) recent report shows research has found a dose-response relationship between UPFs and heart attacks and stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity and all-cause mortality.

Just one extra serving a day of UPFs led to a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, according to a February 2024 review of 45 meta-analyses on almost 10 million people.  Eating more UPFs may also increase the risk of obesity by 55%, sleep disorders by 41%, development of type 2 diabetes by 40% and the risk of depression by 20%, according to the review. 

The AHA provided some basic advice by assigning UPFs into one of three categories: least healthy, moderately healthy and healthy. 

Healthier choices included fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables without added sugar or salt; whole grains such as oats and brown rice; unsalted seeds and nuts; dried beans and legumes; plant oils; low-fat plain milk or yogurt; lean, unprocessed meat; and dairy, unsweetened beverages and water.  Plant-based meat and dairy that was low in added sugar, salt and fats were also considered healthy.

Moderately healthy foods included white rice and pasta; full fat dairy; freshly made refined grain bread; salted nuts; canned fruits in light syrup; canned beans with salt; hard cheeses; egg replacements; and low sodium, low fat soups.  Store-bought meals made with choices from the healthy group above were also in the category.

The unhealthy group had the usual offenders, fatty red meat, pork, processed meats like chicken nuggets, hot dogs, sausage, butter, lard and tropical oils such as coconut.  Sour cream and 100% fruit juice also made the list, along with sugar, honey, maple syrup, crackers, sweetened dried and canned fruit, tortilla or potato chips and French fries.

Refined grain breads, rolls and tortillas were also unhealthy.  Sugar-sweetened beverages, which included energy drinks, liquid cheese products, cookies, crackers, candies, fruit snacks, ice cream, boxed macaroni, instant noodles, pizza, some canned or instant soups and canned fruits in syrup also made the list. 

ASIAN FOODS

There are both healthy and unhealthy processed Asian foods as well.  Many traditional Asian dishes are healthy due to their use of fresh ingredients and steaming or stir-frying techniques, but some processed versions can be high in calories, fat, sodium, and sugar.  Asian foods, especially those readily available in today’s supermarkets, can be considered processed or ultra-processed.  This includes items like instant noodles, pre-packaged snacks, and certain types of ready-to-eat meals. 

Instant noodles are often high in sodium and contain additives and preservatives.  Like their Western counterparts, many Asian markets offer a variety of packaged chips, crackers, and other items that can be high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.  

Pre-packaged Asian meals, like some stir-fries or curries, often contain added sugars, sodium, and preservatives.  Many Asian countries offer a range of sugary drinks, such as sweetened teas and flavored milk drinks, which are considered ultra-processed as well.

Certain Asian dishes include processed meats like sausages, bacon, or reconstituted meat products, which are typically high in sodium and saturated fat.  In addition, frozen dumplings or buns can be highly processed with added preservatives and flavorings.  Fish cakes, surimi, and other processed seafood products are common in Asian cuisine and can be high in sodium and unhealthy fats according to the American College of Cardiology.

The way to reduce ultra-processed foods in your diet is to focus on the least processed and most natural foods first.  Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where all the fresh fruits and vegetables usually are located but avoid the deli and bakery areas.  Read labels and opt for whole foods and foods with the fewest number of ingredients.  If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, you probably shouldn’t eat it.

“The best advice is to choose foods that don’t have and don’t need labels: fresh vegetables, fruit, dried beans and intact whole grains,” said Dr. Devries.  “Among packaged foods, focus on those in which a whole food predominates with as few added ingredients as possible, like frozen vegetables and fruit, canned beans and canned fish.”

To counter all the harmful effects of UPFs, the AHA’s recent report recommends that Americans stop eating as many of the most harmful UPFs as possible, especially those high in unhealthy fats, added sugars and salt, yet allows “a small number of select, affordable UPFs of better diet quality” to be eaten as part of a healthy diet.

“The best choices are meals made from whole foods, often more easily put together in a single skillet dish,” said Dr. Devries. “While on the run, a salad with a healthy protein is a great choice.  And for snacks, it’s hard to beat fresh fruit and nuts.”

Although with busy lifestyles it’s hard not to just grab a UPF and go, but by being mindful and making wiser eating choices, you will be better off in the long run.