The Daily News – April 17, 2025

Ultra processed foods are ultra common, unfortunately, and it turns out they completely dominate grocery store shelves. That’s the finding we’re looking at today. On The Daily News, according to scientific, American researchers used AI to analyze over 50,000 grocery items from Whole Foods, Walmart, and Target. The majority of what’s available in stores isn’t fresh or whole. It’s industrially processed, loaded with additives and designed to last forever on the shelf. Whole Foods had slightly more options that are minimally processed, but I mean, let’s just be real. There’s no escaping the processed food takeover no matter where you shop, and here’s why that matters. Ultra processed foods are linked to obesity, type two diabetes and heart disease. Now, we all know that junk food isn’t the greatest, but this study confirms just how little real choice you and I have. You might think you’re picking from dozens of bread brands, but according to the research, most of them are packed with added sugars, preservatives, and other mystery ingredients. And I mean, don’t even get us started on chips and frozen pizzas. They’re almost universally ultra processed. But here’s the twist. Not all ultra processed foods are equally bad. A Harvard study found that sugary drinks and processed meats were strongly linked to higher cardiovascular disease risk. But foods like certain breads, yogurts, and dairy desserts not as terrible. And of course, we can’t deny that affordability plays a huge role in all of this. The study found that the more processed a food is, the cheaper it tends to be per calorie. And that’s why things like box mac and cheese and ice cream can be half the price of their less processed counterparts. So the studies finding suggest that those seeking healthier options should stick to the outer edges of the grocery store where fresh produce, dairy, and usually meat are stocked. And remember, just because something is labeled as less processed doesn’t automatically make it healthy. A cookie is still a cookie even if it’s made with organic cane sugar. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, we can’t totally escape the ultra processed foods that are around us, but you can vote with your dollar. You can in fact have an influence on the items your grocery store offers by reading labels and making healthy choices. So how do you vote with your dollar? We would love to hear from you in the comments, and if you found this information helpful, don’t forget to like, subscribe and hit that notification bell for more health related information. As always, thank you so much for joining us on the Daily News.