What’s An Ultra-Processed Food?

For many people trying to adhere to a healthier diet, the difference between good and bad foods isn’t very well defined. A study published on the journal BMJ Open comes up with a food definition that would be hard to defend in terms of clean eating.
 
Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made from salt, sugar, oils, fats and ingredients not typically used in culinary preparation. So ingredients most people don’t count as food. How much ultra-processed foods do Americans eat?
 
Analyzing the responses of 9,317 participants in the 2009 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, ultra-processed foods accounted for 57.9% of energy intake. The fact that 21.1% of the calories in ultra-processed foods are added sugars shows how these food choices can weigh anyone down.