Is Ultra-Processed Food Really Food?

In supermarkets, cafes, vending machines, and even school canteens, shelves are lined with colourful packages, clever slogans, and convenience-driven promises. But what’s inside many of those boxes, bags, and bottles isn’t what we’ve historically recognised as food.

It’s something else: ultra-processed food.

Which begs the question:
Is ultra-processed food... actually food?

What Is Ultra-Processed Food?

Ultra-processed food (UPF) refers to products made mostly from industrial ingredients that are altered far beyond their natural state. We're talking about:

>>> Flavourings, colourings, emulsifiers

>>> Preservatives, sweeteners, thickeners

>>> Recombined powders, oils, starches

These aren’t just “cooked” or “prepared” foods — they’re engineered products, often built in labs as much as in kitchens.

Think:
Chicken nuggets, soft drinks, instant noodles, breakfast bars, processed meats, flavoured crisps, frozen meals, and many “snackable” items marketed as healthy.

Food-Like Substances

Let’s be clear: ultra-processed food often contains calories, satisfies cravings, and fills stomachs. But does that make it food, in the traditional sense of nourishing the body?

Here's what real food tends to offer:

>>> Naturally occurring nutrients

>>> Whole ingredients

>>> Predictable effects on health

Whereas ultra-processed food tends to deliver:

>>> Engineered flavours

>>> Minimal fibre or micronutrients

>>> Highly addictive textures and mouthfeel

>>> A long list of ingredients you couldn’t buy in a store

It’s edible, sure. But is it nourishing? Is it beneficial? Or is it just a product masquerading as food?

Health Impacts That Can’t Be Ignored

Mounting research links high consumption of ultra-processed food to:

>>> Obesity

>>> Type 2 diabetes

>>> Heart disease

>>> Depression

>>> Gut health disruption

>>> Cognitive decline

In fact, a recent study suggested that people who get more than 50% of their calories from UPFs have significantly worse long-term health outcomes than those who mostly eat minimally processed or whole foods.

And it's not just about ingredients — it's about structure. UPFs are designed to be easy to overeat, stripped of the natural signals that tell your body you're full or satisfied.

Spotting Ultra-Processed Ingredients on Labels

Here’s a helpful rule of thumb:

If you wouldn’t find it in your kitchen — or you can’t pronounce it — it’s probably ultra-processed.

Look out for these red flags commonly found on ingredient labels:

❌ Additives, Preservatives & Artificial Ingredients

>>> Mono- and diglycerides

>>> Sodium benzoate

>>> Potassium sorbate

>>> Sodium nitrite/nitrate

>>> Calcium propionate

>>> TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone)

>>> EDTA

❌ Sweeteners (Artificial & "Natural")

>>> Aspartame

>>> Sucralose

>>> Acesulfame K

>>> Saccharin

>>> Maltitol

>>> Xylitol

>>> Stevia extract (rebaudioside A)

❌ Flavour Enhancers

>>> Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

>>> Disodium inosinate

>>> Disodium guanylate

>>> “Natural flavours” (a vague term that often masks ultra-processing)

❌ Texture & Appearance Modifiers

>>> Soy lecithin

>>> Carrageenan

>>> Xanthan gum

>>> Guar gum

>>> Cellulose gum

>>> Polysorbate 80

>>> Modified starch

❌ Highly Refined Ingredients

>>> High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

>>> Hydrogenated oils / trans fats

>>> Isolated soy protein

>>>> Corn starch / maltodextrin

>>> Powdered whey, casein, milk solids

Quick Tip:

The longer the label, the less likely it is to be real food.
A list of 3–5 ingredients you recognise = usually safe.
A list of 15+ with chemicals = ultra-processed alert.

So,... Is It Food?

It depends on how you define “food.”

If food is:

>>> Anything that delivers calories and can be chewed or drunk

— then yes, ultra-processed food qualifies.

But if food is:

>>> Something that nourishes, sustains, and supports long-term health

— then no, ultra-processed food is something else entirely.

Perhaps it’s more accurate to say:
Ultra-processed food is a food product, not real food.

Why This Matters

We live in a world where:

>>> Convenience trumps cooking

>>> Marketing outshouts information

>>> Choice is abundant, but knowledge is scarce

Understanding what we’re eating — and what it isn’t — is one of the most important health decisions we can make daily.

This isn’t about moral panic or guilt. It’s about awareness.
It’s about asking:

>>> What’s in this?

>>> How was it made?

>>> Is this supporting me or just sedating me?

What You Can Do

You don’t need to live off raw kale and bone broth to avoid UPFs. Even small shifts matter:

>>> Choose ingredients you recognise

>>> Cook from scratch when possible

>>> Read labels — the shorter, the better

>>> Swap snacks for whole options (nuts, fruit, boiled eggs, etc.)

>>> Be sceptical of products marketed as “healthy” but filled with additives

Final Thought

The food system has changed — dramatically. But we haven’t always caught up in how we think, shop, or eat.

Ultra-processed food might fill a gap, but it doesn’t fill the definition of true nourishment.

So next time you grab something off the shelf, pause and ask:

>>> “Is this really food — or just something pretending to be?”