Did You Know Ultra-Processed Foods May Harm Your Health?
Posted on February 26, 2026
Most Americans get over half their daily calories from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), the American Heart Association reports. These foods are popular for a reason—they’re convenient, made to taste great and often more affordable. But they can also raise your risk for serious health conditions.
UPFs are considered the most processed foods: They’re multi-ingredient foods with additives meant to improve shelf life, appearance, flavor or texture. Examples include:
- Sugar-sweetened drinks.
- Ultra-processed meats, such as deli meat.
- Sweet or salty packaged snacks.
- Canned or instant soups.
That said, some UPFs—for instance, vitamin-fortified foods—can support a healthy diet.
How UPFs affect health risks: Because UPFs contain a lot of salt, sugar and saturated fats, eating them regularly has been linked to health issues, such as:
- Worse brain health. Eating UPFs often is linked to problems with attention, planning and decision-making and to a higher risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Heart disease risk. The more UPFs a person eats, the higher their risk for high blood pressure and heart attack, possibly related to inflammation, oxidative stress and blood vessel damage.
- Diabetes. UPFs are often higher in calories and added sugars. Regularly eating UPFs can lead to weight gain, which increases the risk of both diabetes and obesity.
- Cancer. Studies have linked UPFs to certain types of cancer, including breast, pancreatic, colorectal and ovarian cancers.
Tips to ease UPFs out of your diet: You don’t have to avoid UPFs completely. But scaling back could help your health. Start with a few small changes:
- Read food labels. Choose foods low in saturated fat, sodium and added sugar.
- Cook at home for more control over ingredients. Pick a few nights a week to try new recipes or old favorites.
- Make small swaps. Here’s one: Try replacing deli meat with leftover roasted chicken.
- Keep healthy snacks on hand, where they’re easy to grab.
Nutritional Counseling Benefit Reminder
As a Health New England Medicare Advantage member, your plan covers nutritional counseling and medical nutrition education. This benefit includes up to four (4) one-hour visits per calendar year at $0 copay with an in-network provider.
Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American College of Cardiology; American Heart Association; American Institute for Cancer Research; American Medical Association
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