What We Know About the Health Risks of Ultra-Processed Foods

Ultra-processed foods are edible products made from manufactured ingredients that have been extracted from foods, processed, then reassembled to create shelf-stable, tasty and convenient meals. And we're eating a lot of them. Ultra-processed foods currently make up nearly 60% of what the typical adult eats, and nearly 70% of what kids eat. High consumption of ultra-processed foods has been linked to health concerns ranging from increased risk of obesity, hypertension, breast and colorectal cancer to dying prematurely from all causes. Back in 2009, researchers in Brazil proposed that it wasn't just the nutrients that made these foods unhealthy, but rather, the extent of processing these foods undergo. Learn more from NPR here about a new study designed to find whether there was anything to that theory.