Ultra processed vs. minimally processed foods: What’s the difference?

The University of Kentucky Public Relations & Strategic Communications Office provides a weekly health column available for use and reprint by news media. This week’s column is by Michael Hall, M.D., a primary care physician with UK Family & Community Medicine-Georgetown.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 13, 2026) — Walk into any grocery store and you’ll see it: aisles filled with brightly colored packages containing ready-to-eat meals, quick snacks and flavored drinks — often billed as “healthy.” They save time. They’re affordable. And they taste great.

But they also fall into a category of foods that research consistently links to overeating and weight gain: ultra-processed foods.

You don’t have to give them up completely, but understanding the difference between ultra-processed and minimally processed foods can help you make choices that support long-term health without feeling overwhelmed.

What does ‘processed’ mean?

Not all processing is bad. In fact, some of it is necessary and helpful. 

Consider olive oil. The NOVA food classification system breaks foods into four groups: unprocessed or minimally processed; processed culinary ingredients (such as olive oil, extracted syrup or honey); processed foods (a mix of the first two); and ultra-processed foods.

Minimally processed foods are close to how they look in nature. They may be washed, cut, frozen, pasteurized or cooked, but nothing extra is added. Examples include:

• Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables
• Fresh or pasteurized milk/yogurt without added sugar
• Coffee, tea
• Dried herbs, spices and mushrooms

Processed foods are natural or minimally processed foods with a short list of “processed culinary ingredients” — such as salt, oil or sugar — added for flavor or preservation. Examples include:

• Canned beans, legumes, fish, vegetables
• Freshly made bread and cheese
• Fruits in syrup
• Salted, dried, smoked or cured meats (including beef jerky and bacon)
• Fermented alcoholic beverages (beer, cider, wine)

Ultra-processed foods are industrial creations designed to be convenient, shelf-stable and tasty — frequently more flavored than food is naturally. They often contain additives such as sweeteners, dyes and flavor enhancers. Examples include:

• Soda and sweetened drinks
• Packaged snacks
• Frozen meals
• Hot dogs, sausages, deli meats, chicken nuggets
• Packaged breads and buns
• Energy drinks
• Meal‑replacement shakes

Are ultra-processed foods bad?

Ultra-processed foods aren’t bad in a moral sense. They’re practical, last longer on shelves and are often cheaper. But they’re also often engineered to make it easier to eat more than you intended.

A 2025 study in London found that eating a nutritionally balanced diet (based on England’s Eatwell Guide) led to weight loss whether participants followed an ultra-processed or minimally processed diet, compared with their baseline diets.

A 2019 U.S. study and the 2025 London study found that people naturally ate more calories when their diet included a lot of ultra-processed foods. Participants ate, on average, more than 500 calories a day more than those on minimally processed diets and felt less full after eating. The London study also found participants were hungrier 15-30 minutes after eating and reported that the idea of eating again felt pleasant.

By contrast, people tend to lose weight and have fewer cravings when they eat more minimally processed foods. In the London study, participants lost about twice as much weight and reported about half as many cravings on a nutritionally balanced, minimally processed diet compared with a nutritionally balanced, ultra-processed diet.

In the 2019 U.S. study, participants were allowed to eat what they wanted and were offered up to 4,000 calories a day. By eating minimally processed foods at three meals a day, they lost about a pound a week over two weeks. Adults who ate ultra-processed foods gained about a pound a week. The optimal diet differs from person to person, but for some people, a shift in the types of foods they eat can make a meaningful difference without counting calories or micromanaging meals.

Minimally processed foods tend to be richer in fiber, protein and water — all things that naturally help your body regulate hunger. People who eat minimally processed foods primarily often report:

• Feeling full sooner and longer
• Snacking less and feeling fewer cravings
• Steadier and higher energy levels
• Gradual weight loss without intensely focusing on it
• How to make lasting change

Switching to less processed foods doesn’t have to mean giving up convenience or a favorite treat. Even a small change can help. Consider:

• Replacing one ultra‑processed meal a day (like a frozen entree or fast-food stop) with something simple and fresh.
• Swapping soda or sweetened drinks for tea, water or sparkling water.
• Keeping convenient whole-food snacks around. These are things like nuts, fruit, cheese, hard‑boiled eggs and veggies.

Eating more unprocessed foods can cost more and require more planning. The 2019 study found that three unprocessed meals a day cost about $45 more per week than a diet of ultra-processed foods. But apps, websites and food services can make meal planning easier.

Small steps add up quickly. In general, the fewer ingredients on the label — and the more recognizable they are — the closer the food is to minimally processed. Also, from a minimally processed standpoint, higher fiber and lower added sugar are typically better.

And if it doesn’t have a label at all, like fresh produce? Even better.