Not all ultra-processed foods are bad for health, according to researchers who identified several products that may actually be beneficial. A new study suggests that foods such as canned beans, fortified cereals, plant-based dairy alternatives, and wholegrain bread can still support a healthy diet, even though they are classified as ultra-processed.
Study Details and Findings
The researchers analyzed data from more than 200,000 participants across three large US studies conducted from the 1980s to the 2020s. Participants were divided into four groups based on their plant-based eating habits: healthy/ultra-processed (e.g., plant-based milks and yoghurts), healthy/minimally processed (e.g., fresh fruit and nuts), unhealthy/ultra-processed (e.g., fast food and fizzy drinks), and unhealthy/minimally processed (e.g., fruit juice, potatoes, and white rice).
During follow-up, 26,209 people developed cardiovascular disease, approximately 21,000 developed type 2 diabetes, and 55,493 died. The study found that the risk of these outcomes varied according to overall diet quality, with those eating more healthily having lower risk regardless of whether their food was ultra-processed or minimally processed.
Expert Commentary
Xiaowen Wang, a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of nutrition at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said: “While many ultra-processed foods tend to be of poor nutritional quality and should generally be limited or avoided, processing itself is not inherently harmful.” Wang added that the findings suggest people should focus on overall diet quality rather than processing levels alone. “A healthy plant-based diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and healthy plant oils is beneficial, even if it includes some processed foods,” she said. “Advising people to universally ‘avoid ultra-processed foods’ can lead to lower diet quality since healthy ultra-processed foods are beneficial and unhealthy minimally processed foods are detrimental. People should prioritise the quality of foods rather than focusing solely on the level of processing. Aim for more nutrient-dense, high-quality foods to help lower your risk of chronic diseases.”
The findings are scheduled for presentation at Nutrition 2026, the flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, on July 28.
