Could Diabetes, Weight gain and Fatty Liver all be tied to Ultra-processed Foods?

Ultra-processed foods have been a scientific hot topic lately. They have been tied to Type 2 Diabetes, weight gain, fatty liver disease (or MASLD, previously NAFLD) and more. But what are they? (1,2)

Ultra-Processed foods (or UPFs) can include the following:

Chips, candy and chocolate bars, pops/colas, packaged candies, many children’s snacks, hot dogs and other deli meats, margarine, many "fast-foods", plus other sweet and savoury packaged snacks. (1,2)

UPFs are foods that are ready-to-go, convenient, industrially processed and by definition, contain additives.

Why are they so bad?

Firstly, they are convenient, and therefore lend themselves to be eaten anywhere, any time. For example, on the go, in the car, while you’re working, in front of screens etc. (Sound familiar?). Secondly, they are heavily marketed, especially to children – allowing for increased consumption. They are associated with decreased water intake, and decreased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. The actual processing of these foods makes it so that the nutrients that would have been in the original foods are no longer absorbable and end up having an inflammatory effect on the gut, wreaking havoc on your microbiome. The components of these foods create a higher blood sugar response, which can lead to negative metabolic changes over time, and poor liver function. (3)

Because of this, they have been tied to:

Weight gain, increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes, increased risk of colorectal cancer, autoimmune flares, depression, gestational diabetes, fatty liver disease and more. (hyperlinks)

The solution?

You guessed it….eat less of these, and more whole foods! But this isn’t always so easy. Sometimes, long-standing habits need to be changed and new ones started. On top of that, there is a very real addiction to these foods, particularly those with high sugar. It can be a challenge, but I promise you it’s worth it.

Now, there is some nuance to foods labelled as “processed”, or “ultra-processed”. Organic sauerkraut, may fall into the UPF definition, simply due to the added salt (considered an additive). Conversely, packaged foods we may think of as healthy, such as yogurt, may have added sugars, sweeteners, colours and other additives, now making them unhealthy. (1)

Confusing? Ask me at our next appointment. I love talking about food; food is medicine and should be our first-line therapy to treating any condition.

Written by Ariana Candaras, ND, and not AI.

Sources:

1. Web: Do Ultraprocessed foods deserve a bad reputation? M. Frohling. Medscape Medical News. May 27, 2025. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/do-ultraprocessedfoods-deserve-bad-reputation-2025a1000db9?_gl=1*jaf4nx*_gcl_au*MTUyMjI1OTIwMi4xNzU4MjA4NTQ1LjEwMTI3OTI2MTIuMTc2MzQ5MDQxNy4xNzYzNDkwNDE3

2. Web: Ultraprocessed foods: Culprit in Type 2 Diabetes Risk? J.E. Manson MD. Medscape Ob/Gyn - Manson on Women's Health. Nov 4, 2025. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/ultraprocessed-foods-culprit-type-2-diabetes-risk-2025a1000u04?ecd=mkm_ret_251114_mscpmrk-OUS_ICYMI_CA_etid7872177&uac=264259MK&impID=7872177

3. Levy RB, Barata MF, Leite MA, Andrade GC. How and why ultra-processed foods harm human health. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2024;83(1):1-8. doi:10.1017/S0029665123003567