Are Ultra-Processed Foods Really That Tasty?

Are ultra-processed foods really tasty?

This is day two of our five-day Eat Healthier Challenge.

As a Generation Xer, ultra-processed foods have been a staple in my diet since childhood. I grew up eating sugary cereals, macaroni and cheese, and instant noodles, and I still crave them today.

That’s no coincidence, says Ashley Gearhart, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the University of Michigan. Her research suggests that some of the ingredients in these foods, like added fats and sugars, stimulate the brain’s reward centers in a similar way to addictive substances like alcohol and nicotine.

“The more you eat them, the more you want them,” she says.

So it’s natural to prefer these foods to the less processed version. But if we pause for a moment to think about how they’re different from their natural counterparts, their appeal may be a little less. The problem is that many of us don’t focus on these differences.

“Most ultra-processed foods are not designed to be eaten mindfully,” says Ariel Johnson, flavor scientist and author of The Art and Science of Flavor. A small 2019 study found that people who ate a diet high in these foods consumed 500 more calories per day than those who ate whole foods.

If you’re like me and find it difficult to resist these foods, today’s challenge might help you reduce their appeal.

Today’s Challenge: Comparing Ultra-Processed Foods to Less Processed Foods

Start by reviewing what you have in your kitchen. Choose an ultra-processed food and its natural or less processed counterpart. If you have a cheese-flavored cracker, compare it to a piece of real cheese. Or if you have a peanut energy bar, compare it to some peanuts.

Product Inspection:

Take a close look at the processed food. What does it look like? Does it look natural? Does its color resemble something found in nature? Notice the texture—it might be made to be smooth and easy to eat in large quantities.

Taste and smell:

Take a bite and focus on the texture and sound it makes when you chew. Does it quickly turn to powder? Smell the product—can you smell it?

Dr. Johnson explains that smell is the biggest factor in determining the flavor of a food. You may find that a processed product smells mild because industrial processing often reduces the complexity of natural aromas.

Compare:

Taste the processed food again, then try its natural or less processed counterpart. Notice the difference in taste and smell.

For example, Dr. Johnson compared a sweetened berry-flavored yogurt to a natural yogurt with raspberry jam. When she opened the processed yogurt, she described its smell as “berry candy.” The natural yogurt, on the other hand, smelled like butter, cream, and stewed fruit.

Eating natural foods can make processed foods seem more artificial, Johnson says, because their flavors are often a simplified version of their natural counterparts.

Bottom line:

Comparing ultra-processed foods to real foods can change the way you look at these products. For me, each comparison made me more aware of the vast differences between them and encouraged me to stop and think before choosing processed foods.

At the end of this exercise, I gathered up the remains of my “appetizer board” and went home feeling in need of an antacid!