Sure. One such example would be traditional bread. It is made from grain that is ground, mechanically separated, biotechnologically treated with a highly modified yeast, mechanically treated again and thermally treated. So it is one of the most processed foods we have, but is typically not included as “ultra-processed”. Or take traditional soy sauce or cheese or beer or cured meats (that are probably actually quite bad) or tofu...
So as a natural category “ultra processed” is mostly hogwash. Either you stick with raw foods from the environment we adapted to, which will allow you to feed a couple million people at best or you need to explain WHICH processing is bad and preferably why. All non traditional processing is of course a heuristic you can use, but it certainly not satisfactory as a theory/explanation.
Also some traditional processes are probably pretty unhealthy. Like cured meats, alcoholic fermentation, high heat singeing and smoking depending on the exact process come to mind
I would consider most bread sold in stores to be processed or ultra processed and I think that’s a pretty standard view but it’s true there might be some confusion.
Or take traditional soy sauce or cheese or beer or cured meats
I would consider all of those to be processed and unhealthy and I think thats a pretty standard view, but fair enough if there’s some confusion around those things.
So as a natural category “ultra processed” is mostly hogwash.
I guess my view is that it’s mostly not hogwash?
The least healthy things are clearly and broadly much more processed than the healthiest things.
Sure. One such example would be traditional bread. It is made from grain that is ground, mechanically separated, biotechnologically treated with a highly modified yeast, mechanically treated again and thermally treated. So it is one of the most processed foods we have, but is typically not included as “ultra-processed”. Or take traditional soy sauce or cheese or beer or cured meats (that are probably actually quite bad) or tofu...
So as a natural category “ultra processed” is mostly hogwash. Either you stick with raw foods from the environment we adapted to, which will allow you to feed a couple million people at best or you need to explain WHICH processing is bad and preferably why. All non traditional processing is of course a heuristic you can use, but it certainly not satisfactory as a theory/explanation.
Also some traditional processes are probably pretty unhealthy. Like cured meats, alcoholic fermentation, high heat singeing and smoking depending on the exact process come to mind
I would consider most bread sold in stores to be processed or ultra processed and I think that’s a pretty standard view but it’s true there might be some confusion.
I would consider all of those to be processed and unhealthy and I think thats a pretty standard view, but fair enough if there’s some confusion around those things.
I guess my view is that it’s mostly not hogwash?
The least healthy things are clearly and broadly much more processed than the healthiest things.