Ultra-processed foods and their role in the risk of obesity and other related chronic diseases is still heavily debated today. Here is a link to a debate that was held at the 2022 annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), which us usually in Chicago. Here, 4 experts debate the question: “Should We Eat More Processed Foods?”
This question is very relevant for both the topic of obesity, but also other topics to come, such as novel foods, functional foods, and plant-based alternatives.
What do you think, should we eat more processed foods?
Comments
I think processed foods are too broad of a definition. Sure, most processed foods are unhealthy but that doesn’t mean that all are. I think people just need to eat the right processed foods that can actually be beneficial to health.
Hi Professor Deehan, I think that “processed” foods often get a bad reputation that isn’t always deserved. There are so many foods that are processed, and it’s not always a bad thing. For example, canning is a process that does nothing to worsen the quality of the food or make it “unhealthier”. There are some foods that are unhealthy for you, and we should eat less of because of their increased processing, but often times that is more ingredient based.