Mixed
Nutrients-to-limit reformulation of ultra-processed foods fails to improve health outcomes because it enables mal-substitution of ingredients and legitimizes continued high consumption of ultra-processed products.
Do not rely on 'reformulated' or 'low-fat/low-sugar' labels to judge the healthiness of packaged foods. These products are often still ultra-processed and may contain other harmful additives or substitutes. Focus on consuming minimally processed foods instead of trying to optimize the nutrient profile of industrial products.
The overall health benefits resulting from this mal-substitution of ingredients – as we refer to it – are therefore questionable.
Why this rating
The paper is a commentary/synthesis citing multiple longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, but it is not a primary clinical trial itself.
Source
Ultra-processed foods and the limits of product reformulation
Gyorgy Scrinis et al. · Public Health Nutrition · 2017
DOI 10.1017/s1368980017001392
Related findings · Mixed
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