Trump officials want to ban junk food from snaps
The newly confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urged the government to ban it from being used in processed foods.
Fox – Seattle
The ultra-processed foods are under scrutiny as Director of Medical and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his supporters condemn these often delicious snacks to contribute to chronic diseases in the United States.
But what are super processed foods? There is no universal definition yet.
Many ice creams, chips and soda are thought to be super processed, but there are also a wide range of other foods found in healthy diets that fall into the same category, such as tofu, canned fruits and vegetables, protein bars, grains, and nut milk.
“All of these are highly processed, and some of them can be classified as ultra-highly processed foods, but for people who are better for us, it may not be related to the worst health outcomes.”
Does that mean that these foods will also be targeted? Probably not, said Marion Nestle, a nutrition expert and professor emeritus at New York University.
“That would not be possible because of the way Americans eat,” she said. This is because research shows that over 70% of American calories come from ultra-highly processed foods.
Ultra-processed food, or UPF, is a food made by a food company using manufacturing materials, not actual food. If you’ve seen some food labels, you may not recognize many of the ingredients listed. These can be ultra-processed ingredients used to make food.
Research has shown that UPF replaces healthier foods and encourages people to eat more calories, Nestlé said. A 2024 study published in the British Journal of Medicine found that ultra-highly processed foods are associated with approximately 30 health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and mental disorders.
In May, Kennedy and his “Make America Healthy” committee targeted ultra-highly processed foods in a 69-page report.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that the administration is seeking information and data to help develop official definitions of ultra-highly processed foods, according to a July 23rd statement.
It’s a good first step, but Polacsek said that not all UPFs are the same and there is not enough data to determine which ingredients or processes in the packaged food lead to negative health outcomes.
“There’s no all the evidence you need,” she said. “We need more research into this.”
According to Polacsek, I think it would be a mistake to create a policy based on data available for ultra-highly processed foods. However, if the administration makes policy decisions based on a universal definition, she also hopes to allocate funds to study how institutions will affect public health and the food industry.
In the meantime, Nestlé recommends minimizing the amount of ultra-highly processed foods you eat, but some remind consumers that it contains nutrients that can be incorporated into healthy diets.
In a 2023 study, USDA researchers led a study showing that it is possible to make healthy diets with 91% of the calories from ultra-processed foods. However, the study authors noted that the diet was particularly sodium-rich and not containing sufficient whole grains.
“The basic principles of healthy eating are diverse,” Nestlé said. “When you eat different types of food, and most of them are processed to a minimum, you’re doing well.”
“Food is one of the greatest joys of life. It’s really important to enjoy what you eat.”
Adrianna Rodriguez can visit adrodriguez@usatoday.com.
