Ultra-processed foods have been getting a lot of buzz lately—and not in a good way. Increasingly, research has linked diets high in these foods—full of added sugar, fat, and preservatives—to a variety of health concerns, including a heightened risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. If you’ve vowed to cut back on ultra-processed foods but are confused about where to begin, experts say these common food groups are good ones to prioritize.
“I’d definitely start with processed meat, which has been consistently linked to major causes of death,” Mingyang Song, ScD, an associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Health.
Despite their protein (and, in some cases, iron) content, these meats have serious nutritional drawbacks like high sodium and saturated fat, said Bonnie Liebman, MS, director of nutrition for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
A September 2024 study, which included more than 200,000 adults in the U.S., sussed out the potential worst ultra-processed foods for cardiovascular health. It revealed that these meats were some of the foods most consistently associated with cardiovascular problems.
Processed meats like bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ham, and lunch meats are also considered carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Fortunately, you have options for less processed animal protein. “Healthier alternatives include baked or grilled poultry (like chicken or turkey), fish, and lean red meats,” Valerie Sullivan, PhD, MHS, RDN, assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Health. “For example, instead of cold-cut sandwiches, use roasted chicken or canned tuna to make chicken or tuna salad sandwiches.”
Another easy tweak: Use just a small amount of processed meats to add flavor rather than making them the star of a meal. For example, use bacon crumbles to top a salad or baked potato rather than piling whole slices into a sandwich.
Experts have long recommended dialing back on sugar-sweetened beverages. Drinks like soda, sweet teas, energy drinks, and fruit cocktails are linked to health issues like weight gain, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other metabolic disorders, Song pointed out.
Their potential harms don’t stop there. Liebman noted their sometimes-overlooked contribution to tooth decay. The 2024 study also cited these beverages as some of the worst items for cardiovascular health.
If you’re ready to rethink your drink, you might gravitate toward diet beverages—but Sullivan urges caution. “While diet beverages seem like an attractive alternative, as they replace sugar with non-caloric sweeteners, they are associated with health concerns of their own,” she said.
Instead, she recommends good old-fashioned water. If regular H2O doesn’t interest you, try infusing it with fruit or herbs or opting for naturally flavored sparkling water. “Unsweetened teas, hot or iced, are another great option,” she added.
Commercially fried foods, with their added fats and salt (and sometimes, artificial flavors and preservatives), won’t do your body any favors, Sullivan said.
While frying may flavor foods, it comes with some unsavory elements. “The process of deep frying creates potentially carcinogenic substances,” Sullivan said. She advises avoiding fried options like french fries, packaged chips, donuts, and meat or fish nuggets.
You won’t be missing much quality nutrition if you do. “Fried foods are calorie-dense and nutrient-poor, meaning they bring a lot of calories to the diet without supplying many healthful nutrients,” she said.
If you’re still craving rich flavor in your meals, consider versions that swap baking for frying. Sullivan suggests making roasted potatoes instead of french fries or choosing oven-baked chips instead of fried ones.
