Big Food has regurgitated the human diet, and new studies show the damage
Risks are not just from high sugar, salt and fat, but also from a mix of additives and industrial contaminants.
A three-part Lancet series has laid out the harms of ultra-processed food and shown a strong link to chronic disease.
But the evidence goes beyond the known or obvious problems.
The health risks of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) — which include protein bars, jarred sauces, some breakfast cereals and plant-based milks — are not just from sugar, salt and fat.
A mix of additives and industrial contaminants, mainly from plastic packaging, seems to harm gut health and trigger inflammation, according to the meta-analysis of hundreds of prospective studies.
