In 1982, after working a stint within the meals business, Paul Stitt wrote the e book Beating the Meals Giants. The time period ultra-processed meals was not invented but, however he was warning folks again then, and for a few years after that, to desert the choices of the meals business and switch to natural, complete meals which might be nutritious and constructed well being. Paul Stitt might see what the meals have been doing to folks’s well being, however he did not have all the info we now have now in regards to the risks of ultra-processed meals.
I’ve written about ultra-processed meals earlier than, warning those who eliminating animal merchandise was not sufficient for good well being. Within the Adventist Well being Examine 2 cohort, ultra-processed meals have been extra harmful than animal merchandise. On this cohort, the individuals who ate probably the most ultra-processed meals had a 14% elevated danger of dying of any trigger.
In one other article, I identified that not all ultra-processed meals have been equally harmful. Natural whole-grain bread and refined white bread are each labeled as ultra-processed meals, however solely one in every of them builds well being. Sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks have been clearly harmful, as have been ultra-processed meals containing animal merchandise and ready-to-eat combined dishes/meals.
Extremely-processed meals are harmful, and also you most likely have sufficient causes to not eat them, however I’ll offer you yet another: Most cancers. A number of large-scale potential cohorts have proven us the connection between consuming a number of ultra-processed meals and the danger of getting most cancers and dying of most cancers.
Extremely-Processed Meals and Most cancers in France
One of many first research of ultra-processed meals was produced in France within the NutriNet Santé examine. The cohort was launched in 2009 with a web-based questionnaire. They adopted nearly 105,000 adults for about 7.5 years. Researchers used the NOVA system to determine ultra-processed meals, which embody merchandise with 5 or extra substances.
This is what the researchers discovered: a ten% improve within the dietary proportion of UPFs correlated with a 12% total elevated most cancers danger and 11% elevated breast most cancers danger. Amongst folks with most cancers, UPFs accounted for 18% of their energy, which is comparatively low in comparison with another populations we’ll talk about. However even in France, UPFs have been undoubtedly linked to most cancers.
Extremely-Processed Meals and Most cancers within the UK
In 2023, a analysis article was printed on the UK Biobank cohort’s expertise with UPFs. This cohort had 197,000 folks in it who have been adopted for about 10 years. There are nearly 16,000 instances of most cancers and over 4,000 cancer-related deaths on this group.
Extremely-processed meals made up 23% of the entire weight loss program by weight, however 49% by energy. A ten share level improve in UPFs elevated the general danger of most cancers by a few p.c, however the danger of ovarian most cancers was raised by 19%.
Most cancers mortality was additionally elevated by UPF consumption. Each 10 share factors increased UPF consumption was related to a 6% improve in total most cancers demise, a 30% improve in ovarian most cancers demise, and a 16% improve in breast most cancers demise. So, ovarian and breast well being have been significantly compromised by increased intakes of ultra-processed meals. Maybe this is because of endocrine-disrupting components in these meals merchandise.
Dr. Kiara Chang acknowledged, “The typical particular person within the UK consumes greater than half of their every day vitality consumption from ultra-processed meals. That is exceptionally excessive and regarding as ultra-processed meals are produced with industrially derived substances and infrequently use meals components to regulate colour, taste, consistency, texture, or prolonged shelf life.”
She added, “Extremely-processed meals are in every single place and extremely marketed with low cost value and engaging packaging to advertise consumption.. This reveals our meals surroundings wants pressing reform to guard the inhabitants from ultra-processed meals.”
Extremely-Processed Meals and Most cancers Throughout Europe
The EPIC Cohort is an intensive potential examine throughout 10 European international locations at 23 websites, together with 520,000 people. Consumption of ultra-processed meals, as a share of energy, ranged from a low of about 15% in Italy and Spain to about 20% in France, 33% within the Netherlands and Germany, and a excessive of 45% within the UK, as famous above. When the EPIC cohort was analyzed for the impact of meals processing on most cancers charges, researchers discovered that changing 10% of their ultra-processed meals, by weight, of their fashions with minimally processed meals would end in:
- 20% diminished danger of head and neck most cancers
- 27% lower in danger of hepatocellular carcinoma
- 27% lower in danger of colon most cancers
Extremely-Processed Meals and Most cancers within the USA
In November 2025, an evaluation of the Nurses’ Well being Examine II checked out consumption of ultra-processed meals and the danger of early-onset colorectal most cancers precursors, and had at the very least two endoscopically confirmed outcomes, with screenings earlier than the age of fifty. The nurses have been adopted for over 24 years, and so they discovered 1,189 instances of early-onset typical adenomas.
On this group, the ladies consumed about 5.7 servings of ultra-processed meals a day, which was about 35% of their whole every day energy. They are saying this was barely decrease than the U.S. nationwide common, which is a bit scary.
However the ladies who consumed the best quantities of ultra-processed meals, or about 10 servings a day, had a 45% increased danger of growing typical adenomas, that are a precursor most related to early-onset colorectal most cancers.
Within the Harvard Gazette, senior writer Dr. Andrew Chan referred to as this a “linear” danger. The extra UPFs an individual ate, the extra polyps they discovered, with no plateau impact. The chance continued to extend with increased intakes.
Plan a Entire Meals Weight-reduction plan, or They Will Select UPFs For You
These in depth research throughout Europe and the US paint a constant image that aligns with what Paul Stitt mentioned 40 years in the past. Meals merchandise made with industrial substances by meals business giants are dangerous to your well being. Right here we discover that they trigger most cancers. The extra you eat, the more serious it will get.
Even with out the precise mechanism, it is clear easy methods to repair this downside: Eat much less ultra-processed meals. An entire meals plant-based weight loss program, just like the Hallelujah weight loss program, goes to scale back your ultra-processed meals consumption to principally zero.
There could also be a spot to have public coverage ban components which might be recognized to trigger most cancers. This may be a very good factor. However you shouldn’t anticipate the federal government or public coverage to repair your weight loss program. You are liable for your individual well being, so handle your physique. In spite of everything, it is the one one you get to dwell in whereas right here on Earth.
Change to Handy Pure Meals As an alternative of UPFs
We’ve got mentioned what to do and which switches make sense in our earlier article on ultra-processed meals. There are handy, wholesome meals. You simply have to get used to picking these and ensuring they’re in your own home able to seize, as a substitute of ending up selecting no matter is in a merchandising machine or a comfort retailer.
- Apples as a substitute of apple pie.
- Oranges as a substitute of orange juice.
- Nuts and seeds or path combine as a substitute of sweet bars or meat snacks.
- Pure water and even flavored unsweetened water as a substitute of soda pop.
- Entire-grain breads as a substitute of refined white bread. (Clear-label nationwide manufacturers like Dave’s Killer Bread at the moment are broadly accessible.)
- Raisins, prunes, and dried apricots as a substitute of sweet.
“If you happen to do not rigorously select what to eat, another person will make that alternative for you, and they’re going to choose your weight loss program for you primarily based on their greatest pursuits and backside line, not your well being.”
It takes just a little little bit of planning initially, however when you get used to it, it turns into routine, like every part else in your every day routine. So take this step: Get away from ultra-processed meals to decrease your danger of most cancers and get again to nature.