Ultra-processed foods at the grocery store explained.

Harvard Chan shared guidance after a Boston Globe grocery-store visit with nutrition expert Jerold Mande, who said ultra-processed products are often calorically dense and highly palatable. He suggested avoiding items that list a sweetener as the second or third ingredient and looking for lower sodium and saturated fat and higher fiber, while noting small swaps can be helpful.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health summarized expert guidance on ultra-processed foods following a Boston Globe grocery-store visit with nutrition expert Jerold Mande. He said these products are often formulated to be calorically dense and highly palatable, which can make overeating easier. He suggested checking ingredient lists for sweeteners listed early and paying attention to sodium, saturated fat, and fiber. He also noted that small, manageable swaps can matter and said that broader change to the food system is needed. Key points: - Jerold Mande, adjunct professor of nutrition, said ultra-processed foods tend to be calorically dense and highly palatable, which can promote overeating. - He suggested avoiding products that list a sweetener as the second or third ingredient. - He suggested choosing foods lower in sodium and saturated fat and higher in dietary fiber. - The article gives small-swap examples, such as choosing whole-grain instead of flour tortillas and adding peas to boxed macaroni and cheese. - Mande said consumers need not aim for a perfect diet and described system-level change as part of the solution. Summary: The article frames ultra-processed foods as a common feature of the current food environment and reports expert guidance aimed at identifying less-processed options. It emphasizes that small, manageable product choices can influence dietary patterns and records calls for broader food-system changes. Undetermined at this time.