The public conversation around ultra-processed foods has been very welcome, but it has also led to what one researcher described as ‘hysteria’. Here we take the heat out of the discussion, examine the truth of the claims, see who is making them and why, and what the implications are for our health.
Are All Processed Foods Bad?
Not at all. Many processed foods are great and provide critical nutrients to help us achieve a healthy, balanced diet. Foods like wholemeal bread, pasta, and canned beans or vegetables are processed because they contain added ingredients such as salt, oil, sugar, and preservatives, but they are still healthy! In fact, many processed foods, such as bread and breakfast cereals, provide essential nutrients only because they have specifically been added. But, research shows that processed foods can only be healthy if they are plant-based.
Which Processed Foods Are Bad?
There is a wealth of evidence that shows that all processed meats are severely detrimental to our health, including causing bowel cancer. Those who take their health seriously would do well to avoid bacon, sausages, ham, corned beef, jerky, any canned meats and meat-based sauces, and any other meat that has been salted, cured, fermented, or smoked. However, there is no evidence of any such links to disease with the plant-based versions of these products.
The Ultra-Processed Claim
The recent focus on ultra-processed foods began with Dr. Chris van Tulleken’s best-selling book Ultra-Processed People. It shone a shocking spotlight onto the ingredients in our food, what they really are, and what they are doing to us. It was a revelation that so much of the food we consume isn’t actually food at all but a mix of chemicals designed to maximize profits at the expense of our health. The book sparked a global wave of interest and behavior change, which was very positive, but it also allowed one of the most powerful industries on Earth—the meat industry—to start spreading damaging misinformation.
What Makes a Food Ultra-Processed?
Ultra-processed foods are made “mostly or entirely” from substances derived from foods, along with additives such as coloring, artificial sweeteners, anti-caking agents, and emulsifiers. It is easy to see why van Tulleken says such products are not really foods at all.
What Does Eating Ultra-Processed Foods Do To Us?
Ultra-processed foods have been linked to 30 different health problems, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death from all causes. One study found that eating ultra-processed food several times a day can even increase the likelihood of poor mental health outcomes.
Are Vegan Foods Ultra-Processed?
Almost all vegan foods are entirely natural. When we think about the wealth of fruits, grains, nuts, legumes, herbs, spices, and beans, and all the products we can make from them, we can see that a plant-based diet is about as far from being ultra-processed as it is possible to be. And vegan processed foods such as peanut butter, canned tomatoes, and tahini often just have one highly nutritious ingredient. These minimally processed foods are healthy, convenient, and affordable, and central to a healthy, balanced diet.
The contention comes with foods like veggie burgers and vegan chick*n nuggets. It is obvious that such products are much more processed and not exactly a health food, but they tend to make up a very small part of an otherwise very-healthy, plant-rich whole. Plus, unlike processed meat from animals, vegan meats tend to be high in fiber, and low in salt and saturated fats, and that negates many of the harmful impacts of non-vegan ultra-processed foods.
Should We Choose Vegan Meat Over Meat ?
Absolutely. And there are lots of reasons why we should.
One is that all processed meat causes cancer, so it is always better to choose vegan meats. Eating a balanced plant-based diet is nutritionally sound and healthier, and the proof of the pudding is very much in the eating. Vegans have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer’s, and some cancers.
Eating a vegan diet is also better for the planet in countless ways, including the climate, forests, rivers and oceans, and wildlife. For a healthy planet, which is needed for a healthy human population, we absolutely need to eat plant-based.
Choosing vegan meat is also better for reducing the amount of suffering in the world. Ten times more animals than there are people are slaughtered every year so we can take their babies, milk, and eggs to eat. It’s completely unnecessary.
Three Guidelines for Eating Healthy
- Eat plant-based, incorporating at least 30 different fruits and vegetables into your diet each week.
- Eating some processed vegan foods is very positive; we get lots of important nutrients from products like wholemeal bread, sugar-free breakfast cereals, falafel, hummus, tofu sausages, and fruit bars. Eating ultra-processed vegan foods every now and then is not a problem if the bulk of the diet is unprocessed or minimally processed plant-based foods.
- Avoid all processed and ultra processed meats. These cause cancer.
