Ultra Processed Foods: Are They Always Bad?
"Ultra processed foods are driving our chronic disease epidemic,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “We must act boldly to eliminate the root causes of chronic illness and improve the health of our food supply.”
This quote is not only untrue, it also reflects a growing misunderstanding about ultra processed foods. This kind of oversimplified messaging ignores the complexity of the issue.
As a dietitian, I work with people managing serious health conditions, recovering from disordered eating, or living with chronic illnesses like cancer or cystic fibrosis, conditions that can make it difficult to maintain appetite or consume enough calories. I also work with people navigating food insecurity. In many of these cases, the very foods being labeled as harmful are the ones that allow people to stay nourished, safe, and stable.
What Counts as “Ultra Processed”?
The NOVA classification system defines ultra processed foods (UPFs) as industrially formulated products made with ingredients not typically used in home cooking, such as protein isolates, stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, and emulsifiers. This definition ends up including far more food items than most people realize and could lead to major nutritional and accessibility gaps if these items were eliminated.
Under this system, many common and often necessary foods would be labeled ultra processed, including:
• Store bought bread
• Flour
• Ready to drink nutrition shakes like Boost or Ensure
• Diabetic friendly foods
• Granola bars and protein bars
• Plant based meats like Impossible or Beyond Burger
• Vegan cheeses and shelf stable nondairy milks
• Infant formula
• Gluten free options
• Vitamin gummies and chewable supplements
In other words, some of the most practical, common, and in some cases therapeutic foods fall under this label regardless of their nutritional quality or role in someone’s care plan.
Are They Actually Unhealthy?
Research shows an association between high intake of ultra processed foods and certain chronic conditions. But association does not mean causation. UPFs are a broad category, and many studies fail to clearly define what is being classified, whether it's candy or fortified whole grain cereal. Most studies also do not control for key variables like total calorie intake, physical activity, living environment, socioeconomic status, or overall dietary pattern. This severely limits how valid or applicable their conclusions are. Blaming health outcomes on the food itself is short-sighted, especially when so many contributing factors can't be adequately isolated in research.
The real issue isn’t the processed food itself, but it’s how a food fits into the overall context of someone’s diet, needs, and access. Many people rely on UPFs for energy, convenience, and specific medical or lifestyle needs. These products offer consistency, safety, shelf life, and predictability, all of which matter in real world nutrition care.
Why I Use Them in Practice
Ultra processed foods are not just “extra” or “treat” foods. They are often essential, not only as everyday staples but also as strategic tools in care:
• When someone can’t tolerate certain textures or smells and needs familiar, palatable options
• When recovering from illness and requiring low volume, energy dense, easy to eat foods
• When living with a condition that demands more calorie intake than is comfortable to eat
• When limited by time, money, or kitchen access and relying on shelf stable products
• When struggling with appetite, ADHD, or sensory overwhelm and needing grab and go items
There is no one size fits all solution. Pretending that everyone can or should prepare meals from scratch using only minimally processed foods is not only unrealistic, it’s dismissive of the real barriers people face.
A Better Approach
Rather than labeling entire categories of food as good or bad, we should look at how food is used, what it provides, and whether it meets someone’s needs. Processed foods aren’t inherently harmful and many alternatives, like infant formula, are designed to mimic the real thing as closely as possible.
If health is the true concern, the goal should not be to eliminate ultra processed foods. It should be to make all food choices more accessible, affordable, and aligned with real life needs. We need to look at the big picture instead of blaming individual food items. No ingredient in a regulated food product is more harmful than chronic undereating and malnourishment.
I recommend getting curious and asking: If the research behind the harms of ultra processed foods is limited, and these foods aren’t inherently dangerous, how did we get here? What’s fueling this misunderstanding? What happens when this narrative contributes to malnutrition, worsens illness, or creates new obstacles for people managing or recovering from health conditions? Is this fear real? And why does one feel the need to regulate what individuals eat through policy? Then look closely at the research or information and ask yourself whether your assumptions and biases are truly supported.
Written by Kim Johnson, RD, LN | Owner
Kim specializes in: Eating disorders, disordered eating patterns, IBS, nutrition management for neurodivergent individuals - ADD/ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, weight concerns and supporting those ready to move past chronic dieting.