Whenever I see any nutrition article like this, I am extremely skeptical. The definition of "ultra-processed" is completely arbitrary as I read it [1]. The cont

Whenever I see any nutrition article like this, I am extremely skeptical. The definition of "ultra-processed" is completely arbitrary as I read it [1]. The control diet is generally worse on non-processing related attributes. The processing angle really only serves to confuse the nutrition debate as the attributes of ultra-processed food (excess sugar, use of partially hydrogenated oils) are already well established health risks. By putting things in the context of the processing, it ignores the possibility of processed foods that avoid these ingredients. By limiting the processing concern to an arbitrary definition of ultra-processing, actual causes might be left uncovered, while non-causes are left in. Whey protein, which I know many very healthy people eat, is considered ultra-processed. Meanwhile, pasta is considered merely processed, while if the pasta is ready to eat, it is ultra-processed. This distinction doesn't seem to be a useful way to make intelligent decisions, and is simply a spurious correlation actually caused by the food ingredients, or just some side effect of people eating less when food isn't ready-made, because they have to do more work to consume it... [1] https://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/CA5644EN/ https://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/CA5644EN/