Not All Ultra-Processed Foods Are Created Equal – Guest Blog By Dr Nicola Guess

Dr Nicola Guess, a Nutrition Scientist at Oxford University, challenges the notion that all ultra-processed foods are unhealthy. She argues that the health impact of processed foods depends on the specific food rather than the degree of processing alone. For example, while some ultra-processed foods like cakes and pastries are associated with diseases like type 2 diabetes, plant-based meat alternatives have been shown to have no such negative health effects.

Guess explains that the Nova classification system, which divides foods into four groups based on their degree of processing, may be oversimplified and not a useful way to describe the nutritional quality of foods. She emphasizes the importance of looking at the specific ingredients and health effects of individual foods rather than categorizing them based on their level of processing.