How to identify and avoid ultra-processed foods in daily life?

Recognizing an ultra-processed food on a supermarket shelf is far from straightforward: reassuring packaging, health claims, and familiar brands can all blur the lines. However, a few simple habits can help make sense of it and support more informed choices on a daily basis.

Identifying ultra-processed foods

There are a few simple indicators that can help identify ultra-processed foods.

The first step is to look at the ingredient list. This is what allows you to better understand the nature of the product. A simple question can help: does this product contain only ingredients that I could have in my own kitchen? If the answer is yes, there is a strong chance that it is not an ultra-processed food. On the other hand, if the list includes ingredients that resemble industrial terminology more than a recipe (glucose syrup, maltodextrin, artificial flavoring, etc.), caution is needed. Indeed, ultra-processed foods often contain industrial ingredients derived from complex processing methods (hydrolyzed proteins, hydrogenated oils, flavorings, etc.), as well as additives added to modify texture, taste, or appearance (dyes, sweeteners, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers). These substances, which are absent from homemade recipes, are typical markers of ultra-processing.

To help identify these products, certain types of ingredients should be considered as warning signs. Among these industrial ingredients are, for example:

Ingredient group	Examples of terms on the label
🛢️ Oils	Hydrogenated oil, partially hydrogenated oil, fully hydrogenated oil
🏭 Proteins	Hydrolyzed proteins, isolated proteins, textured proteins, soy protein concentrate, casein, whey proteins
🍬 Industrial sugars	Glucose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, invert sugar, maltodextrin, dextrose, fructose
🌽 Modified starches	Modified wheat starch, modified corn starch, modified potato starch, modified rice starch
🌾 Added fibers	Wheat fiber, corn fiber, inulin
⚙️ Mechanically separated meat (MSM)	Mechanically separated turkey, mechanically separated pork
🌸 Flavorings	Smoke flavoring, artificial flavoring, natural flavoring

In the United States, food additives are listed directly in the ingredient list by their name (for example, “monosodium glutamate,” “sucralose,” or “carrageenan”), sometimes alongside their function.

Identifying them therefore relies on recognizing ingredient names, which can be challenging for consumers, especially when they appear under technical or unfamiliar terms. Spotting several technical or unfamiliar ingredients in a product should raise a red flag. The presence of several such ingredients is generally a strong indication that a product is ultra-processed.

Preservatives and antioxidants are an exception when their role is not cosmetic, but rather to extend shelf life or prevent the growth of microorganisms. On their own, they are therefore not considered markers of ultra-processing.

Becoming familiar with the most common additive names is therefore key to identifying ultra-processed foods. The table below lists the ingredients most frequently found in the ingredient lists of ultra-processed foods:

Additive group	Examples of terms on the label
🎨 Dyes	Tartrazine (Yellow 5), Sunset Yellow (Yellow 6), Allura Red (Red 40), erythrosine (Red 3), Brilliant Blue (Blue 1), indigotine (Blue 2), Patent Blue, titanium dioxide, caramel color, paprika extract, curcumin, carmine
🧪 Sweeteners	Acesulfame K, sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, neotame, sorbitol, maltitol, stevia
🧱 Texturizing agents	Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, polysorbates, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenans, sodium phosphates, potassium phosphates, diphosphates, glycerol, lecithins, lactylates
👅 Flavor enhancers	Monosodium glutamate (MSG), disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate
🧂 Anti-caking agents	Silicium dioxide, aluminium sulfate

The length of the ingredient list is another useful indicator: the longer it is, the more likely the product is to be processed. Conversely, a short list with simple, recognizable ingredients is often a good sign.

These guidelines do not apply only to packaged products. When you buy food from a bakery, a cafeteria, or a restaurant, it may also be ultra-processed, even without a label. In such cases, it is more difficult to verify the composition. However, a few simple cues can help: prioritize places that offer a small menu and prepare foods on-site. Do not hesitate to inquire directly as well: ask whether the products are made on-site and whether it is possible to view the full ingredient list.

Making better choices in daily life

Identifying ultra-processed foods is a first step. On a daily basis, a few simple habits can also help limit their presence in your diet.

The simplest approach is to prioritize whole or minimally processed foods. The closer a food is to its original form, the better: fruits, vegetables, legumes, eggs, grains, meat, fish…

Frozen, canned, or pre-prepared fruits and vegetables (peeled, grated, or cut) can be valuable everyday allies when time is limited. Contrary to some common beliefs, frozen fruits and vegetables are a very good option: they are generally frozen shortly after harvest, which helps preserve most of their vitamins. Canned products can also be a good choice: they keep for a long time and retain a large part of their nutritional value. Whatever the format, the key is to choose simple products that remain as close as possible to their original form, without added sauces, seasonings, or other preparations. For example, choosing plain grated carrots rather than carrots already seasoned with a sauce.

Keeping simple, easy-to-assemble staples at home (rice, legumes, canned foods, eggs, pasta, etc.) can make everyday life much easier. It allows you to quickly prepare a meal, even when time or energy is limited, without relying on ready-made products.

Cooking as much as possible is an important lever to reduce ultra-processed food consumption. This does not mean spending hours in the kitchen or preparing complex recipes: in most cases, simply combining basic ingredients is enough to make a meal. Cooking with children can also help: it keeps them engaged while preparing the meal, rather than having to manage cooking alongside other activities.

Cooking larger quantities can also make things easier. Part can be eaten immediately, and the rest frozen for later. It can then simply be reheated, saving time on busy days without resorting to industrial products.

Finally, how we eat matters almost as much as what we eat. Taking the time to eat and chew, without a television or phone, helps better perceive flavors, enjoy food more, and be more attentive to hunger and satiety cues. By contrast, eating in front of a screen can lead to consuming around 10 to 20% more food, simply because attention is diverted away from the meal^1,2.

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Ultra-processed foods are the product of a system designed and built over several decades: an industry concentrated in the hands of a few powerful players with considerable financial resources, marketing strategies designed to shape preferences from childhood, and advertising budgets that far exceed those of public health. Understanding this system is essential, as it reframes the issue where it belongs: at a collective and political level.

The scientific evidence is now strong enough that the issue is no longer about convincing. The history of tobacco shows that, in the face of powerful industrial interests using similar strategies of disinformation, the combined pressure of research, civil society, and public authorities eventually led to regulations that would have seemed unthinkable just a few decades earlier.

In the field of food, this dynamic is beginning to take hold. Research on ultra-processed foods is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, the topic is gaining ground in public debate, and a collective awareness is emerging – among citizens, healthcare professionals, and some policymakers. The road ahead will likely still be long, but the first steps have been taken!