Tackling ultra-processed food must focus on evidence and avoid stigma

THINK of unhealthy foods and you might picture takeaways, fried foods or sweets – products high in fat or sugar. But a new idea says we should shift our focus away from a food’s nutrient content to how and where it is made.

Anything cooked from scratch in your own home is allowed, while food made in a factory, which is now classed as “ultra-processed” thanks to artificial ingredients like additives or high-fructose corn syrup, is frowned upon.

Consider a pre-packaged loaf of brown bread. Usually seen as wholesome fare, its additives put it in the ultra-processed camp. Most breakfast cereals…