In the early 1900s, many Americans lived in rural areas and worked in agriculture. Domestic foods, fresh produce, and locally sourced meat have been staples of the American diet. At the time, food processing was minimal, with an emphasis on methods such as canning, fermentation, and preservation to extend the shelf life of seasonal produce.
By the mid-20th century, the United States had become more industrialized and many people had moved to urban areas in search of work. These changes have reduced our ability to grow and procure food locally, increasing our dependence on commercially produced food. Through the late 20th century, the food industry continued to innovate, creating ultra-processed foods designed for convenience, taste, long shelf life, and profit rather than nutrition.
Aggressive marketing campaigns and advertising by food companies have promoted ultra-processed foods as desirable and convenient, and many brands, such as Stouffer's, have also promoted a wholesome image with “scratched taste.”One But underneath their claims is quality and “ingredients that make you feel good.”2 Every bite contains “alarming” levels of toxins.three
Popular frozen food gets toxicity rating
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) Food Score is an online database that rates more than 80,000 foods, 5,000 ingredients and 1,500 brands.4 The scoring system evaluates products based on three main factors: nutrition, ingredient issues, and processing issues. Each food is given a score from 1 (best) to 10 (worst).
Among the brands evaluated was Stouffer's, which makes popular frozen meals such as lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and French bread pizza. Although convenient, consuming these meals can come at a huge cost to your health. Healthy Holistic Living Report:5
“The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a respected authority on the intersection of environmental issues and human health, recently turned its investigative lens to the frozen food industry, with Stouffer landing in a particularly harsh spotlight. result? It's amazing to say the least.
Stouffer's products, especially their Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Frozen Bowl, earned the ignominious distinction of earning a '10' rating (the worst rating) on EWG's toxicity scale. “This is a clear indicator of a serious health and safety problem.”
Stouffer's Cheesy Chicken Ranch Bowl received a dismal 10-star rating due to several red flags.6
Contains sodium nitrite, which has been linked to cancer. | It is likely that hormones or growth promoters were used in meat production. |
There is a high possibility that antibiotics were used in the meat. | Contains ‘fragrance’, an unspecified ingredient. “No one outside of the manufacturer knows for sure what exactly is in these flavor mixtures. Even government scientists and regulators often have to guess,” said Ken Cook, EWG president and co-founder.7 |
Contains “high risk” food additives. | Classified as high concern for disposal |
Continue living a healthy holistic life:8
“Stouffer’s has built a reputation for providing simple, family-friendly meals that seem to offer both convenience and nutritional value. The company's marketing efforts place a strong emphasis on the use of 'healthy' and 'non-toxic' ingredients, creating an image of a trustworthy brand committed to the well-being of consumers.
But a closer examination of Stouffer’s products reveals a bewildering discrepancy between marketing and the actual contents of frozen meals.”
Additionally, EWG states, “This product contains the following ingredients, which may be genetically engineered or derived from GE crops: soy protein isolate, sugar, maltodextrin, modified food starch, and modified starch (corn).”9 Of course, Stouffer's, owned by multinational food giant Nestle, is not unique in using questionable ingredients and producing low-quality, ultra-processed foods.
The proliferation of ultra-processed foods is challenging global health
Ultra-processed foods have infiltrated the world, leading to a “dramatic increase in the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and other nutrition-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, hypertension, other aspects of coronary heart disease, and 13 of the 15 leading cancers.” I did.” ,” according to a study published in Obesity Reviews.10 The author explains:11
“Currently, all high-income countries and many low- and middle-income countries are in a transition phase, with nutrition-related non-communicable diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertension, dominating adult morbidity and mortality, with rates either very high or low. Penetration rates are growing rapidly… All low- and middle-income countries are facing rapid growth in the consumption of ultra-processed foods and beverages.”
Meanwhile, 61% of the food Americans eat comes in the form of highly processed foods and beverages. Canada (62%) and the UK (63%) are at similar levels.12 “Ultraprocessed foods tend to be energy-dense, low-cost, and nutrient-poor,” reported a study in Frontiers in Nutrition.13
Over the past decade, prices of unprocessed foods have risen at a greater rate than those of ultra-processed foods, leading researchers to suggest that “lower energy costs may be one mechanism linking ultra-processed foods to negative health outcomes.” I did.14 According to their analysis, ultra-processed foods are mainly grains (91%), fats and snacks (73%), dairy products (71%), and beans, nuts and seeds (70%).
For comparison, only “36% of meat, poultry and fish, 26% of vegetables and 20% of fruits” were classified as ultra-processed. Examples of ultra-processed foods include:15
bread, cake, pie | margarine |
salted crackers | cookie |
Meat products such as ham, hot dogs, and hamburgers | pizza |
drinks with added sugar |
Ultra-processed foods linked to cardiometabolic health problems, premature death
In a 2024 meta-analysis involving 9,888,373 participants, higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes in 32 of the 45 pooled analyzes reviewed.16 These health outcomes included metabolic, cancer, mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and all-cause mortality.
The study found strong links between high consumption of ultra-processed foods and heart disease, type 2 diabetes and mental health disorders, for example. In particular, compelling evidence suggests that eating more ultra-processed foods significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease-related death and type 2 diabetes. There has also been strong evidence linking these foods to anxiety and general mental disorders.
Highly suggestive evidence also suggests that ultra-processed foods are linked to increased risk of overall mortality, heart disease death, type 2 diabetes, depression, sleep problems, wheezing and obesity.
“The negative health outcomes associated with ultra-processed foods may not be fully explained by nutrient composition and energy density alone, but may also be explained by physical and chemical properties associated with industrial processing methods, ingredients, and by-products,” the researchers explained.17 They cited several reasons why ultra-processed foods are harmful to human health.18
Intensive processing results in changes to the food matrix, called dietary restructuring, which can affect digestion, nutrient absorption and satiety. |
Additives such as artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, colorings, and nitrates/nitrites can be harmful to your health. |
Additives can have a negative impact on gut microflora and associated inflammation. |
Exposure to multiple additives in these foods “may have a potential 'cocktail effect' that has a greater impact on human health than exposure to a single additive.” |
Intensive industrial processes can produce potentially harmful substances, including acrolein, acrylamide, advanced glycation end products, furans, heterocyclic amines, industrial trans-fatty acids and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. |
Harmful contaminants such as bisphenols, microplastics, and phthalates are often present in packaging materials and can migrate into food. |
Eating Ultra-Processed Foods Deteriorates Brain Health
Eating highly processed junk food takes a toll on your entire body, including your brain. A study published in JAMA Neurology demonstrated that consuming ultra-processed foods such as breakfast cereals, frozen meals, and soda can decrease cognitive function and increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.19
The study involved 10,775 people living in Brazil over an eight-year period. The data showed a correlation between an individual's “high consumption” of ultra-processed foods. Higher consumption led to a 28% faster decline in overall cognitive scores, including memory, verbal fluency, and executive function.20
However, in this study, instead of considering 50% or 60% of daily caloric intake from ultra-processed foods as high consumption, this study defined high consumption as “20% or more.” This study did not determine whether there was a dose-dependent effect.
That is, we only looked at whether consuming more than 20% of daily caloric intake from ultra-processed foods had an effect on cognitive decline. If I take two or three times that amount, as many people do, will I experience faster cognitive decline?
Another study also found brain risks from ultra-processed foods. There were 72,083 participants aged 55 years or older. Over a 10-year follow-up period, consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with an increased risk of dementia and vascular dementia.21
Meanwhile, replacing just 10% of ultra-processed foods in your diet with unprocessed or minimally processed foods was associated with a 19% lower risk of dementia, highlighting how powerful minimal healthy dietary changes can be.
“As a neuroscientist who studies how diet can affect cognition in later life, more research is needed, but I believe these initial studies will focus on basic nutrition,” said Sara Burke, associate professor of neurobiology and cognitive aging at the University of Florida. “It adds a new layer to consider how important this is for brain health.”22
Toxic seed oils are commonly found in processed foods
Ultra-processed foods typically contain seed oils, also known as vegetable oils, such as corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil. Vegetable and seed oils are high in the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid (LA).23 At the molecular level, excessive LA intake impairs metabolism and interferes with the body's ability to generate energy from mitochondria, leading to chronic disease.
Another important problem with polyunsaturated fats (PUFA), such as LA, is that they are chemically unstable, making them very susceptible to damage by oxygen species generated in cellular energy production.
This damage results in the formation of advanced fatty oxidation end products (ALEs), which in turn produce dangerous free radicals that damage cell membranes, mitochondria, proteins, and DNA. LA is also broken down into harmful metabolites such as oxidized LA metabolites (OXLAM), which have serious negative health effects. These ALEs and OXLAMs go on to cause mitochondrial dysfunction, a hallmark of most chronic diseases.
The half-life of LA is approximately 600 to 680 days, or approximately 2 years. This means that it takes about 6 years to replace 95% of the LA in your body with healthy fat. This is the main reason to keep your LA intake as low as possible.
LA is found in almost all ultra-processed foods, including restaurant foods, sauces, and salad dressings, so eliminating it requires cutting most processed and restaurant foods from your diet. It's even hidden in 'healthy' foods like chicken and pork.24 There is also olive oil that is cut into cheaper seed oils.
And don't be fooled by claims that lab-made plant-based meats or fake foods like burgers are good for you. Although they are considered healthy, these products are highly processed and ultra-processed. To stay healthy, replace ultra-processed foods with whole foods from local farmers or foods you grow yourself whenever possible.
