Avoid the Factory-Made Fiasco

of Ultraprocessed Foods

Large yellow industrial machine, with animated items (sugar, salt, additives, and unhealthy oils) flowing in from the left side, and boxes labeled "Ultraprocessed Foods" exiting on a conveyor belt on the right side.

Ultraprocessed foods are cleverly engineered and assembled to appeal to common cravings... but they're some of the most hazardous substances you can consume.

Why the concern? Ultraprocessed foods contain an unwholesome fusion of sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and artificial ingredients—and they are great for shelf-life but can shorten human life.

Researchers discovered a 31% higher death rate¹ among people who consumed the most vs. least amount of ultraprocessed foods. These laboratory-designed concoctions are also linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health complications.

The most alarming part?

Because they're tasty, cheap, and convenient, ultraprocessed foods now make up the majority of calories consumed² in the U.S.—especially (and tragically) among kids:³

Two Simple Steps You and Your Family Can Take to Cut Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods:

First, take a hard look at your grocery cart. Try to fill most of your cart with items that have a short list of recognizable ingredients—or better yet, no label at all because they're from the produce department. Go for whole-food options like vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and whole grains such as oats, barley, and brown rice.

Second, when you reach for a snack or a meal, consider whether you could swap it for a less-processed option.

For example, instead of sugary cookies, could you grab a handful of almonds and some fruit? Or instead of a storebought frozen meal, could you put together a simple skillet of black beans, vegetables, and flavorful spices? Healthy fare is often just as quick and economical as prepackaged, processed options—but much kinder to your health.

If you only make one dietary change in 2023, eliminating or reducing your intake of ultraprocessed foods is one of the healthiest steps you can take.

To learn more about how a healthy diet can help, check out Module 1 in our nutrition learning program for the public!

Learn Now

Dr. Devries Teaches Nutrition Class at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Dr. Devries, Executive Director of the Gaples Institute, was the instructor for a new one-week in-person class for Harvard public health and medical students this month.

The course objective? To enhance nutrition learning and practice in medicine. Students completed the Gaples Institute's online clinical nutrition course as a foundation, and spent classroom time learning practical strategies for leveraging their nutrition knowledge as a tool for patient care.

Each student initiated and reported on a two-part capstone project: (1) a personal change in their own diet, and (2) a plan for a systems-wide nutrition change in their clinical or work environment.

Dr. Devries reported:

Dr. Stephen Devries in front of the Harvard School of Public Health

"The student projects were diverse and impactful—they included the development of a food bank for a pediatric cancer clinic, a plan for healthy and culturally diverse hospital food options, and even an emergency room program for urgent referrals to dietitians for at-risk patients. These students were so innovative and enthusiastic—exactly the kind of change agents we need."

Studio microphone with a blue luminescent background

The Gaples Institute is very proud to announce that three episodes of our podcast for clinicians, Medicine With a Fork, were featured as Top Podcasts of 2022 by the AMA Ed Hub™! The Ed Hub is a trusted platform of continuing medical education for more than 270,000 physicians nationwide.

See the full list of honorees >>

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