Label check
What Is Ultra Processed Food, and How Do You Spot It?
Ultra-processed foods now make up over half the average American diet. Here's what that actually means, why it matters, and how to identify UPFs on any label.
Free to download on iPhone. Subscription required for Premium.
Understanding Ultra-Processed Food: Beyond the Buzzword
The term "ultra-processed food" comes from the NOVA classification system developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo. NOVA divides all foods into four groups: unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients (like oil, butter, and sugar), processed foods (canned vegetables, artisan cheese), and ultra-processed food products. That fourth group, UPFs, is where things get concerning.
Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made mostly or entirely from substances derived from foods and additives. They typically contain five or more ingredients, many of which you wouldn't find in a home kitchen: high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, modified starches, protein isolates, emulsifiers, humectants, flavor enhancers, and colorants. Common examples include soft drinks, packaged snack cakes, instant noodles, reconstituted meat products, and many breakfast cereals.
Studies pooled in a 2024 BMJ umbrella review have linked high UPF consumption to increased risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. A landmark 2019 NIH clinical trial found that people eating ultra-processed diets consumed roughly 500 more calories per day compared to those eating minimally processed meals, even when both diets were matched for available calories, sugar, fat, and fiber. The evidence is mounting, and learning to identify UPFs on a label is one of the most practical steps you can take.
How it works
How to Identify Ultra-Processed Foods with BerryPure
1Look at the Ingredient Count
A quick rule of thumb: if a product has more than five ingredients, give the list a closer look. Ultra-processed foods almost always have long ingredient lists because they rely on multiple additives to achieve the right texture, flavor, shelf life, and appearance.
2Scan the Label for an Instant Analysis
Point BerryPure at any ingredient list and the app breaks it down into categories, flagging emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated fats, and other markers of ultra-processing. You get a purity score from 0 to 100 so you can judge at a glance.
3Check for Ingredients You Wouldn't Cook With
Ask yourself: would I use this ingredient if I were making this food at home? Mono- and diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), these are industrial additives, not pantry staples. Their presence is a reliable signal of ultra-processing.
- 4
Compare and Choose a Cleaner Option
BerryPure's swap suggestions show you a similar product with fewer additives. Over time, this comparison habit trains your eye to spot UPFs without even needing the app, though having it in your pocket is always reassuring.
Cleaner swaps
Ultra-Processed Staples and Their Whole-Food Alternatives
Instant ramen noodles
Rice noodles or soba noodles cooked in homemade broth
Instant ramen is deep-fried during manufacturing and seasoned with MSG, TBHQ, and sodium tripolyphosphate. Whole noodles in a simple broth deliver the same comfort without the industrial additives.
Packaged fruit snacks
Fresh fruit or dried fruit with no added sugar
Fruit snacks are primarily corn syrup, modified corn starch, and artificial colors shaped to look like fruit. Actual dried fruit (check labels, some brands add sulfites or sugar) gives you fiber and vitamins.
Margarine or spreadable butter blends
Real butter or cold-pressed olive oil
Margarine is made by chemically altering vegetable oils through hydrogenation or interesterification, then adding emulsifiers and colorants. Butter and olive oil are single-process foods with centuries of culinary history.
Diet soda
Sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or lime
Diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium), caramel color, and phosphoric acid. Sparkling water satisfies the carbonation craving without any of those additives.
Processed cheese slices
Real cheddar, gouda, or mozzarella sliced at home
Processed cheese often isn't legally cheese at all, it's a blend of milk proteins, emulsifying salts, whey, and colorants like annatto. Real cheese has a short ingredient list: milk, cultures, salt, and rennet.
Frequently askedquestions
Everything you need to know about scanning your food with Berry Pure.
What makes a food 'ultra-processed' versus just 'processed'?
Processing itself isn't the problem, cooking, fermenting, and canning are all forms of processing. Ultra-processing goes further by using industrial techniques and additives that you wouldn't find in a domestic kitchen. The NOVA system specifically looks for the presence of cosmetic additives (colors, flavors, emulsifiers) and substances like hydrogenated oils, protein isolates, and modified starches.
Are all ultra-processed foods unhealthy?
The research consistently shows that diets high in ultra-processed foods are associated with worse health outcomes. That said, not every UPF is equally concerning. A whole-grain bread with a small amount of soy lecithin is different from a candy bar with 30 additives. BerryPure's purity score helps you see that spectrum rather than treating all products as pass or fail.
How much of the average diet is ultra-processed?
In the United States, ultra-processed foods account for roughly 57-60% of total calorie intake, according to research published in BMJ Open. In the UK, the figure is around 50-55%. These numbers have been rising steadily over the past three decades, driven by convenience, aggressive marketing, and the low cost of industrial ingredients.
Can I eat ultra-processed food occasionally and still be healthy?
Context matters. The occasional UPF in an otherwise whole-food diet is unlikely to cause problems for most people. The concern is with habitual, high-frequency consumption, when ultra-processed items make up the majority of your meals. Awareness is the first step, and even small reductions in UPF intake have been linked to measurable health improvements.
Why don't food labels just say 'ultra-processed'?
Food labeling regulations in most countries don't use the NOVA classification. Labels are required to list ingredients and provide a nutrition facts panel, but they don't categorize the overall level of processing. That's the gap BerryPure fills, it takes the raw ingredient data and applies the NOVA framework automatically so you don't have to do the research yourself.
Is 'natural flavors' an ultra-processed ingredient?
It can be. 'Natural flavors' is a regulatory term that covers a wide range of substances derived from plant or animal sources through processes like distillation, solvent extraction, or enzymatic reactions. While the starting material is natural, the manufacturing process is industrial. When BerryPure sees 'natural flavors' on a label, it factors this into the overall purity score.
See what’s really
in your food
Scan your first label in seconds and start making cleaner choices across your whole kitchen.
Free to download. Subscription required for Premium.
Berry Pure Premium is a monthly or annual subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase and automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings.