Fresh research has been published14:00, 28 Jul 2026New research has come to some interesting conclusions on ultra-processed foods.‌The nutritional quality of food may matter more than how much it is processed, the study suggests. Products such as canned beans, plant-based dairy or breakfast cereals fortified with vitamins can still contribute to a healthy diet, according to researchers.‌Telling people to avoid ultra-processed food (UPF) could hinder quality, they added, as “healthy” processed products such as wholegrain bread and canned fruit can still be “beneficial”. Experts analysed data from more than 200,000 people taking part in three large studies in the US who were followed up from the 1980s to the 2020s.‌They were grouped into four categories according to their plant-based eating habits. These were healthy/ultra-processed, which included plant-based milk and yoghurts, healthy/minimally processed, including fresh fruit and nuts.Unhealthy/ultra-processed products included fast food and fizzy drinks, and unhealthy/minimally processed items included fruit juice, potatoes and white rice. Some 26,209 people went on to develop cardiovascular disease while around 21,000 developed type 2 diabetes and 55,493 died.‌The study found that the risk of death, diabetes and cardiovascular disease varied depending on the overall quality of a person’s diet. Those who ate more healthily had a lower risk, regardless of whether food was ultra-processed or minimally processed.Xiaowen Wang, a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of nutrition at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said: “While many ultra-processed foods tend to be of poor nutritional quality and should generally be limited or avoided, processing itself is not inherently harmful.”Ms Wang said the findings suggest that people should focus on what they are eating overall, not just if it is processed.‌“A healthy plant-based diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and healthy plant oils is beneficial, even if it includes some processed foods,” she added.“Advising people to universally ‘avoid ultra-processed foods’ can lead to lower diet quality since healthy ultra-processed foods are beneficial and unhealthy minimally processed foods are detrimental.Article continues below“People should prioritise the quality of foods rather than focusing solely on the level of processing. Aim for more nutrient-dense, high-quality foods to help lower your risk of chronic diseases.”The findings will be presented at Nutrition 2026, the flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, on July 28.