Health experts from around the world are warning that people are eating more ultra-processed foods than ever before — and it could be harming our health.

Ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, are foods that contain lots of ingredients you wouldn’t normally find in your kitchen at home. These might include artificial colours, preservatives, sweeteners, and other additives. Examples include crisps, fizzy drinks, ready meals, instant noodles, ice cream, some supermarket bread, and many packaged snacks.

A group of 43 scientists looked at over 100 studies from different countries. They found that eating too many UPFs may be linked to a higher risk of several health problems, such as:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Depression

And even a higher chance of dying early

Professor Carlos Monteiro, who helped create a system for sorting foods by how processed they are, says that UPFs are replacing healthier foods like fresh fruit, vegetables, and home-cooked meals. He believes big food companies promote these products heavily because they make a lot of money from them.

Some scientists say that governments should add warning labels or higher taxes to UPFs, similar to how some countries treat tobacco. They argue that this money could help people afford healthier foods.

However, not everyone agrees. Some experts say we still don’t know exactly how UPFs might harm our bodies. They also point out that not all ultra-processed foods are bad — things like wholegrain bread, breakfast cereal, low-fat yoghurt, and even frozen peas can be part of a healthy diet.

The UK’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition says the link between eating lots of UPFs and health problems is worrying, but more research is needed to understand whether the processing itself is harmful or if it’s because many UPFs contain too much sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.

For now, health officials recommend sticking to the basics:

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, choose foods high in fibre, and cut down on sugar, fat, and salt.