Today, there is an increasing amount of news being released about the effects of the ultra-processed food, or UPF, diet. Many of us know that fast food can harm our health, but it’s important to clearly distinguish between fast food and UPF. So, what are these foods?
Looking around UF, you might wonder whether many of our campus options are UPFs. The convenience stores scattered around campus offer packaged yogurts, granola bars, sweet snacks and desserts which are unfortunately… UPFs. Yes, this also means your canned vegetables and instant oatmeal are UPFs.
As of now, scientists have found associations between UPFs and conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression and early mortality. In a 30-year longitudinal study published in the British Medical Journal in May, researchers found that a higher intake of UPFs was associated with a slightly higher all-cause mortality rate. The associations varied across subgroups of ultra-processed foods, with meat, poultry and seafood-based ready-to-eat products showing particularly strong associations with mortality.
UPFs include more obvious items, like the chicken from McDonald's and the chips that accompany your Subway meal, but also less obvious foods, like the cereal you eat for breakfast. These foods are made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods (e.g., oils, fats, sugars, starches and proteins) and additives such as flavors, colors, emulsifiers and preservatives that imitate or enhance the qualities of real foods. They undergo multiple physical, biological and chemical processes. Other examples of UPFs include soft drinks, packaged snacks and instant noodles. It’s important to keep a conscious mind and know whether you choose to eat these foods regularly and be informed.
As a nutrition major, I hope our campus can divert more resources to ensure that students can buy foods from local markets. One way UF can achieve this is by partnering with programs like the Bite Club meal plan. This initiative is a step in the right direction. By partnering with new local vendors and moving away from big franchises, we can reduce our reliance on processed foods. While we can't guarantee that all the restaurants on this list will be completely free of UPFs, supporting local eateries is a positive move towards healthier eating options for students.
While studies are still uncovering new information, it’s important to remember that not all UPFs are equal. Some UPFs may have a greater impact on health than others. For instance, processed meats, sugary breakfast foods and sugar or artificially sweetened beverages are where red flags should arise. Being mindful of these specific categories can help make better dietary choices even within the realm of UPFs.
While occasionally eating UPFs won’t be fatal, it’s important to be mindful of their long-term health impacts and include whole foods in your diet.
Valeria Gomez is a graduate student at UF studying human nutrition.
