Here's how to spot ultra-processed foods where you shop

If you’re looking to embrace a healthier lifestyle this year, you can become more vigilant by reducing your intake of ultra-processed foods.

There’s scientific evidence that diets rich in ultra-processed foods are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, mental health disorders, diabetes, obesity, sleep problems — even premature death, Harvard Medical School has reported.

Fox News Digital reached out to two food experts for helpful ways to identify ultra-processed foods at your grocery store or supermarket — and to make better, healthier choices.

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Here’s a deeper dive.

What are ultra-processed foods?

Many ultra-processed foods favor convenience, as they’re ready-to-eat products such as deli meat, microwaveable dinners or chips, as Harvard Medical School has noted.

“Ultra-processed foods contain added fats, sugar and sodium, in addition to additives and stabilizers,” Shannon O’Meara, a registered dietitian with Orlando Health in Florida, told Fox News Digital.

A man stocks drinks in the refrigerated section of a convenience store under a sign that reads "Food Glorious Food."

Ultra-processed foods are those that contain added fats, sugar and sodium. (iStock)

“We want to avoid these foods due to the higher amounts of salt, sugar and saturated fat because they can impact and contribute to various health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

If you are unsure if something is an ultra-processed food, look at the nutrition and ingredient labels, O’Meara advised.

Check the nutrition and ingredient labels to be sure.

If the sodium, saturated fat and added sugar contents are 5% or less on the nutrition label, it means that the food item is low in those nutrients, she explained.

Beyond that, look at the ingredient label.

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“If you are unsure about an ingredient or haven’t heard of it before or even have a hard time pronouncing it, it’s more than likely an ultra-processed food,” O’Meara told Fox News Digital.

An assortment of nutrition facts labels is shown.

Nutrition facts labels appear on many food items at the grocery store. (iStock)

There are some keywords to help identify ultra-processed foods, Jerold Mande said.

Mande is CEO of Nourish Science, a Bethesda, Maryland-based nonprofit working to solve the country’s nutrition crisis.

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He is also an adjunct professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

“For example,” he said in regard to ultra-processed foods, “emulsifiers such as soy lecithin, carrageenan and mono- and diglycerides keep food ingredients from separating but likely harm our microbiome,” Mande said.

A woman shops for food at a grocery store with greens in her shopping cart.

There are some straightforward ways shoppers can identify ultra-processed foods. (iStock)

Common ultra-processed foods

Here are some of the most ultra-processed foods at a grocery store, Mande and O’Meara told Fox News Digital.

1. Sweetened sodas

Sugar-loaded soft drinks should be skipped, both experts said.

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Sweetened sodas “are an ultra-processed food linked to obesity, diabetes and dental disease in children,” Mande said.

2. Processed meats

The convenience factor should not override health risks, the experts warned.

An old woman's hand holds a package of ready-to-eat beef at a grocery store.

Ready-to-eat beef from a grocery store is one example of processed meats that should be avoided, experts say. (iStock)

“Processed meats, including deli meats and chicken nuggets, are ultra-processed foods linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia,” Mande told Fox News Digital.

3. Children’s breakfast foods

Some children’s breakfast products, including toaster pastries and most sweetened cereals, are ultra-processed and linked to obesity, diabetes and “mind-health problems,” Mande said.

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4. Ready-to-make meals

These ultra-processed foods are linked to obesity and cardiovascular disease, Mande said.

5. Commercially produced bakery goods

It may be a better choice to pick freshly baked treats and bakery products rather than grab packaged items.

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O’Meara said the commercially prepared products in this grocery category aren’t the best option.

Better alternatives to ultra-processed foods

Here are some healthier picks that O’Meara suggested purchasing at the grocery store instead.

1. Protein foods

Choose meat, poultry, fish, seafood, beans, nuts and seeds.

2. Grains

Purchase pasta, rice, oats and grits.

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3. Dairy

Choose milk and unsweetened yogurts.

A father, mother and daughter shop for dairy items at a grocery store.

Dairy products like milk are a healthier alternative to ultra-processed foods. (iStock)

4. Fruit

Buy fresh or frozen fruit.

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5. Vegetables

Load up your cart with fresh or frozen veggies but skip sauces or seasonings.

Erica Lamberg is a contributing writer for Fox News Digital.

What are ultra-processed foods?