Ultra-Processed Food, What Makes It So Addictive & What Is It Doing To Your Health

Not long ago—in the 1980s—the average household kitchen contained approximately 68% real, whole foods and only 32% ultra-processed foods. Today, those numbers have flipped.

But what exactly is ultra-processed food (UPF)? UPFs generally contain large amounts of commodity crops such as grain, wheat, soy, and sugar, along with byproducts of these crops—namely, high-fructose corn syrup and seed oils like canola, vegetable, and sunflower oil. They also include MSG, various food additives, and flavor enhancers to improve taste and mouthfeel, as well as artificial colorings to make them more visually appealing. These foods are often far removed from their original form and are heavily loaded with synthetic chemicals. For this reason, UPFs are sometimes referred to as “Frankenfoods,” as they are largely created in a lab.

Ultra-processed foods are often described as addictive because they are engineered to hijack the brain’s reward system. They are designed for hyper-palatability, formulated with an ideal combination of sugar, fat, salt, flavor enhancers, and refined carbohydrates. This formulation creates an artificial “bliss point” in the brain, which causes intense cravings—similar to the way addictive drugs work.

When you eat UPFs, you’re not only consuming unhealthy calories that lack nutritional value—you’re also chasing a dopamine hit. These foods trigger a surge of dopamine in the brain’s reward center, particularly in the nucleus accumbens—the same area activated by substances like nicotine, cocaine, and alcohol. This creates a cravings-reward loop, driving you to consume more, even when you’re not truly hungry. Moreover, the synthetic chemicals in UPFs bypass and override the body’s natural satiety hormones, such as leptin and GLP-1, disrupting the signals that tell you when you’re full. This encourages overconsumption with little satisfaction. To make matters worse, these “food-like” substances are widely accessible and convenient, which can lead to habitual and even automatic consumption.

So, how might UPFs affect our physical and metabolic health?

The flavor enhancers, artificial sweeteners, and emulsifiers added to these foods can interfere with and alter our gut microbiome—think of this as the “soil” of our digestive system. The microbiome consists of trillions of microbes that help us break down and absorb nutrients from food. It also plays a vital role in regulating the immune system and producing serotonin—a key neurotransmitter that influences mood, emotions, sleep, happiness, memory, and learning. Additionally, a healthy microbiome keeps parasites, yeasts, molds, and candida in balance.

An unhealthy gut microbiome, on the other hand, can negatively impact mental health, impair cognitive function, and contribute to anxiety, depression, and metabolic dysfunction. It’s no coincidence that the rise in UPFs in our food supply has paralleled an increase in both mental health issues and metabolic disease.

Knowing what we now know about ultra-processed foods (UPFs), it’s easy to feel defeated when trying to reduce or remove them from your daily diet. But don’t worry — here are a few tips to help make the process easier.

1. Start by adding more real, single-ingredient whole foods.

These are foods you can plant, farm, or pick. It’s nearly impossible to overeat nourishing, natural food. For example, devouring a bag of Doritos in one sitting is easy — and by design. But eating a whole bag of apples? That’s unlikely. Your hunger and satiety hormones (like leptin and GLP-1) respond well to real food, signaling when you’ve had enough.

2. Prioritize satiating foods: protein and healthy fats.

Think: fatty fish, whole eggs (not just the whites), grass-fed butter and meats, chicken with the skin on, avocados, and nuts and seeds (if well tolerated). Whole-fat Greek yogurt and organic dairy products (also if well tolerated) are good options too. These foods nourish you, keep you full longer, stabilize blood sugar, and help prevent mindless grazing.

3. Stay well hydrated and drink herbal teas.

Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. We may reach for a snack when what we actually need is fluid. Especially in warmer months, add electrolytes to your water, or include slices of citrus, cucumber, or a pinch of sea salt. Herbal teas like ginger, basil, nettle, or lemon balm can support digestion and may help regulate blood sugar.

4. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.

The center aisles are filled with pre-packaged UPFs. Better yet, shop at your local farmers’ markets — here in Niagara, we have dozens! A good rule of thumb: if it comes in a box or bag and has more than 2–3 ingredients, it’s likely a UPF. Stick to foods you can plant, grow, pick, or farm.

5. You’ve likely heard the phrase “everything in moderation”…

But as mentioned above, UPFs are designed to be addictive, which can make moderation difficult — especially for some individuals. This is tied to the gut microbiome (which I’ll dive into in a future blog). The solution? Don’t buy it. If it’s not in your home, you can’t eat it. Instead, keep your fridge and pantry stocked with real, whole foods: apples, cherries, watermelon, hard-boiled eggs, dried dates, herbal teas, nuts, seeds, and pre-cut vegetables. Make healthy snacks easy and accessible.

I often hear people say that eating healthy is expensive. But in reality, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are far more costly — not just in dollars, but in terms of your time, your health, and those pharmacy co-pays down the road. Plus, you end up eating more of them. So, pay the farmer now, so you don’t have to pay the pharmacy later.

If you’re not sure where to start, consider consulting a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. I’d be happy to support & guide you on your journey toward achieving optimal health.