Why Americans Are Finally Breaking Up With Processed Foods

Your grocery cart is a battleground. And for the first time in decades, real food is winning.

Something remarkable is happening in America's kitchens, and it's not another celebrity diet fad. Millions of people are staring at their pantries filled with brightly colored packages and asking one simple question: "What the hell am I actually eating?"

The answer? Mostly industrial formulations that have more in common with a chemistry experiment than anything your grandmother would recognize as food.

But here's the plot twist: People are done with it. 72% of American shoppers are actively trying to cut ultra-processed foods from their diets right now. Not planning to. Not thinking about it. Actually doing it.

This isn't just a trend. It's a rebellion against an entire food system that's been making us sick for profit.

 

The Shocking Truth About What's Really on Your Plate

Let's start with the uncomfortable facts.

Ultra-processed foods make up about 55% of American adults' calories, while children get nearly 70% of their calories from these industrial products. Think about that for a second. More than half of everything we eat comes from factories, not farms.

It's estimated that approximately 70% of packaged products in the U.S. food supply are ultra-processed. Walk through any grocery store and you're surrounded by thousands of products engineered in laboratories to be irresistible, shelf-stable, and incredibly cheap to produce.

What exactly are ultra-processed foods? According to nutrition experts, they're industrial formulations containing ingredients you wouldn't find in a typical kitchen—things like emulsifiers, colorings, flavor enhancers, bulking agents, and gels.

We're talking about sugar-sweetened beverages, packaged snacks, instant soups, breakfast cereals, frozen pizzas, energy bars, mass-produced breads, ready-to-eat meals, and yes, those colorful candies lining the checkout aisle. If it comes in crinkly packaging and has a shelf life longer than your last relationship, it's probably ultra-processed.

 

The Health Crisis Nobody Wanted to Talk About (Until Now)

Here's where things get serious.

The scientific evidence against ultra-processed foods isn't just concerning—it's damning. A comprehensive review covering nearly 10 million study participants found truly alarming connections.

Research shows that diets heavy in ultra-processed foods increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 50% and anxiety disorders by 48%. Additional findings indicate increased risks for death from heart disease by 66%, obesity by 55%, sleep disorders by 41%, Type 2 diabetes by 40%, early death from any cause by 21%, and depression by 20%.

Let that sink in. The packaged snacks marketed as convenient solutions might be slowly destroying your health.

More recent studies keep piling on the evidence. Each additional 100 grams per day of ultra-processed food consumption was associated with a 14.5% higher risk of hypertension, 5.9% increased risk of cardiovascular events, 1.2% increased risk of cancer, 19.5% higher risk of digestive diseases and 2.6% higher risk of all-cause mortality.

100 grams is roughly three cookies or one serving of chips. That's how little it takes to increase your health risks.

Recent research even links ultra-processed foods to cognitive decline, dementia, Parkinson's disease, and colorectal cancer in younger adults. The foods we thought were harmless convenience are literally changing how our brains and bodies function.

 

Why These Foods Are So Dangerous

It's not just about what's in these foods—it's also about what's missing.

According to Stanford Medicine researchers, ultra-processed foods tend to be higher in saturated fat, salt and sugar—the three things we know we should eat less of—while being lower in fiber, micronutrients, and phytochemicals.

These products are engineered to be what scientists call "hyperpalatable"—designed to hit your brain's pleasure centers harder than natural foods ever could. They're formulated to make you crave more, eat faster, and never feel quite satisfied.

The result? Ultra-processed foods make up 55 to 65 percent of what young adults eat in the U.S. and have been associated with metabolic syndrome, poor cardiovascular health, and other conditions in adolescents.

We're creating a generation that doesn't know what real food tastes like.

 

The Government Finally Admits There's a Problem

For decades, the food industry operated with minimal oversight. Companies could add virtually any ingredient, engineer foods for maximum consumption, and market them as healthy—all while Americans got sicker and sicker.

That's changing. Fast.

In January 2025, the Trump administration released new Dietary Guidelines for Americans that represent what officials call the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades. The guidelines deliver a clear, straightforward message: eat real food.

The new guidance explicitly tells Americans to limit highly processed foods, added sugars, and artificial additives while prioritizing whole, nutrient-dense foods including protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains. It encourages people to focus on whole grains while sharply reducing refined carbohydrates and incorporating healthy fats from whole foods such as meats, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados.

According to government officials, for decades the U.S. government has recommended and incentivized low quality, highly processed foods and drug interventions instead of prevention. Under new leadership, that approach is being completely reversed.

The federal government is also working to establish a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods—something that's never existed before in U.S. food policy. Dozens of scientific studies have found links between the consumption of ultra-processed foods with numerous adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity and neurological disorders.

This isn't just bureaucratic paperwork. A clear definition will enable consistent research, inform policy decisions, and give consumers the information they need to make better choices.
The Movement Isn't Just Talk—Americans Are Actually Changing

Survey data reveals something unprecedented: Americans aren't just concerned about processed foods—they're actively eliminating them from their diets.

Nearly half of consumers (46%) and 70% of nutritionists plan to reduce added sugars and sugar alcohols in 2025, while 24% of consumers and 45% of nutritionists say they want to reduce their consumption of ultra-processed foods.

A recent survey of 2,000 Americans found that cutting out processed foods (34%), pursuing healthy aging activities (33%), and improving gut health and digestion (22%) were predicted to be the top health trends in 2025.

The data backs up the shift. Consumption of ultra-processed foods has been trending down slightly since the 2017-2018 survey cycle, with a significant decrease between 2017-2018 and August 2021-August 2023.

It's not dramatic yet—but the direction is clear. For the first time in modern history, Americans are consuming less of these industrial products.

 

The Corporate Food Machine Fights Back

Don't expect the food industry to go quietly.

The rise in ultra-processed foods is driven by powerful global corporations who employ sophisticated political tactics to protect and maximize profits. We're talking about a $1.9 trillion global industry that grew from $1.5 trillion in just over a decade.

These companies have spent billions perfecting the art of making cheap ingredients—corn, wheat, soy, palm oil—irresistible to consumers while keeping costs low and profits high. They've lobbied against regulations, funded favorable research, and marketed their products as healthy solutions for busy families.

The dairy industry, for example, pushed back against the new dietary guidelines' use of the term "highly-processed," arguing that nutritious foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese undergo processing to ensure quality and safety. They claim that defining foods by processing level could discourage consumption of nutrient-rich options.

But health experts see through the spin. According to Marion Nestle, longtime NYU professor of nutrition and food studies, the pressure on ultra-processed foods in the new guidelines is exactly what's needed for public health.

 

Not All Processing Is Evil (But Most of It Is)

Here's where things get nuanced.

Not every processed food is a health disaster. Packaged whole grain breads, plant-based milks and some yogurts are considered ultra-processed, but they can be beneficial for health. Research shows yogurts were linked to lower risk of colorectal cancer even with added sugar, while ultra-processed whole grain breads are associated with lower risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Processing techniques like freezing, fermenting, and milling can preserve nutrition and improve access to healthy foods. The real issue is whether processing supports health or engineers foods that encourage overconsumption while disconnecting people from genuine nourishment.

A Stanford dietitian explains that not all processing is inherently negative, noting that techniques like freezing, fermenting, and milling can preserve nutrition. The critical question is whether processing is used to support health or to engineer foods that mimic real ingredients while encouraging overconsumption.

The difference? Read the ingredient list. If it's filled with names you can't pronounce, additives, dyes, and emulsifiers—that's the stuff to avoid.

 

The Real Barriers: Cost, Convenience, and Access

Let's be honest about the elephant in the room: ultra-processed foods are cheap and convenient. For many families, they're the most affordable option.

More than half (60%) of shoppers said the cost of healthy foods was the top barrier to eating healthier, while 42%, 33% and 32% cited stress eating, lack of time and lack of knowledge, respectively.

This creates a troubling reality. Among adults, the mean percentage of total calories consumed from ultra-processed foods was lower in those with the highest family income (50.4% in those with incomes 350% or more of the federal poverty level) compared with lower income levels.

Wealthy families can afford to eat better. Poor families get stuck with the cheap stuff that's making them sick. This isn't just a health crisis—it's a justice issue.

According to nutrition policy experts, for the Trump administration to truly help Americans become healthier, it needs to adopt policies that help people afford healthier options, not just warn them about risks.

 

Young Adults: The Most Vulnerable Population

If you're between 18 and 35, pay attention. You're at particularly high risk.

Researchers tracked 85 young adults over a four-year period, finding that increases in ultra-processed food consumption were linked with elevated blood sugar and early signs of diabetes risk.

The study showed that an increase in ultra-processed food intake was associated with higher risk for prediabetes and insulin resistance, where the body becomes less effective at using insulin to control blood sugar.

Even more alarming? Ultra-processed foods make up 55 to 65 percent of what young adults eat in the U.S. If current trends continue, researchers predict that one in three Americans aged 15 to 24 will meet the criteria for obesity by 2050.

The foods that seem convenient during your busy twenties could be setting you up for chronic diseases in your thirties and forties.

 

What Global Health Experts Are Demanding

In November 2025, The Lancet—one of the world's most prestigious medical journals—published a groundbreaking series on ultra-processed foods written by over 40 leading health experts.

Their conclusion? The evidence is clear and compelling: the more ultra-processed foods we eat, the higher our risk of diet-related diseases. They argue that individual behavior change isn't enough—we need coordinated policies targeting the production, marketing, and consumption of these foods.

According to The Lancet authors, deteriorating diets are an urgent public health threat that requires coordinated policies and advocacy to regulate and reduce ultra-processed foods while improving access to fresh and minimally processed foods.

These aren't fringe activists. These are the world's top nutrition scientists, epidemiologists, and public health researchers saying in unison: the current food system is making people sick, and we need systemic change.

 

How to Actually Make the Switch (Without Losing Your Mind)

Cutting out processed foods doesn't mean you need to become a farmer or spend five hours daily in the kitchen. It means making smarter choices within the reality of your life.

Start with the worst offenders: Sugar-sweetened beverages, processed meats, packaged cookies, and candies. These two food categories—sugary drinks and processed meats—are most strongly linked to health harms.

Read ingredient lists: If it's really long and filled with emulsifiers, dyes, and colorings you can't identify, find an alternative with fewer ingredients you don't know.

Choose whole grain options: When buying packaged breads or cereals, look for whole grain versions. They're still processed but retain beneficial nutrients.

Focus on additions, not just subtractions: Nearly all nutritionists (94%) and 64% of shoppers said they want to consume more fruits and vegetables in the new year. Make your goal adding good foods, not just removing bad ones.

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good: Jarred pasta sauce might be processed, but making dinner with it is better than ordering ultra-processed takeout. Work within your budget and time constraints.

Use helpful tools: Resources like EWG's Food Scores provide ratings for over 150,000 foods based on nutrition, ingredients, and processing. Their Healthy Living app makes it easy to check products while shopping.

 

The Bottom Line: This Is About Taking Back Control

The movement away from processed foods isn't about being judgmental or elitist. It's about recognizing that we've been sold a lie.

For decades, the food industry convinced us that convenience foods were harmless—that busy people needed these products to survive. Meanwhile, they engineered those products to be as addictive as possible, loaded them with cheap ingredients, and marketed them aggressively to children.

The result? A population where 70% of adults are overweight or obese, nearly one in three adolescents has prediabetes, and chronic disease disqualifies many young Americans from military service.

We've been poisoning ourselves with permission from our own government—and paying companies billions of dollars for the privilege.

But something is shifting. People are reading labels. Asking questions. Demanding better. Voting with their wallets for real food instead of industrial formulations.

The new dietary guidelines, the push for a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods, the growing consumer awareness—these aren't isolated events. They're signs that the tide is finally turning.

72% of Americans are trying to cut ultra-processed foods from their diets. That's not a fringe movement. That's the beginning of a revolution.

 

The Choice Is Yours

You don't need to wait for perfect policies or comprehensive food system reform. You can start today.

Next time you're at the grocery store, take an extra minute to read the ingredient list. If you can't pronounce half the ingredients, put it back and find something simpler.

Choose the apple over the apple-flavored snack bar. Pick the plain yogurt and add your own fruit instead of buying the one with 20 grams of added sugar. Make your own popcorn instead of buying the microwavable bag with artificial butter flavor.

These small choices add up. For your health. For your kids' health. For a food system that values nourishment over profit.

The food industry spent decades training us to reach for packages instead of produce. It's going to take time to unlearn those habits.

But here's the truth they don't want you to know: Real food tastes better. Makes you feel better. And costs less than the medical bills you'll pay later for diet-related diseases.

The rebellion against processed foods is happening right now. The only question is: are you in?

The future of food isn't found in a factory. It's growing in the ground, hanging from trees, and waiting for you to reclaim it.

Because your body deserves better than a chemistry experiment. And the food system is finally starting to admit it.