Ultra-Processed Foods: What They Are and How to Spot Them

Hannah Nunn
Jul 9
3 min read

One of the biggest drivers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and AMD

You’ve probably heard the term “processed food” before. But what exactly does it mean? And how processed is too processed?

In this post, we’re diving into ultra-processed foods (UPFs)—what they are, how they harm your health (and your eyes), and how to spot them on a food label.

Because for people with AMD, cutting back on these foods isn’t just about being “healthy”—it’s about protecting your vision.

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

Not all processing is bad. Washing, chopping, freezing, fermenting—these are all gentle forms of food processing that help preserve nutrition or improve digestibility.

Ultra-processed foods, on the other hand, are industrially manufactured products designed to be cheap, convenient, and shelf-stable—but they offer little to no real nutrition.

They usually include:

Refined starches and sugars
Industrial seed oils
Artificial flavourings, colourings, and preservatives
Emulsifiers, stabilisers, and thickeners
Additives and synthetic vitamins to replace what was lost

They are often hyper-palatable—meaning they’re engineered to make you overeat—and they usually lack fibre, antioxidants, and protective nutrients.

How Do UPFs Affect AMD?

Ultra-processed foods drive many of the underlying causes of AMD:

Inflammation – caused by seed oils, sugar, and synthetic additives
Oxidative stress – worsened by damaged fats and lack of protective antioxidants
Blood sugar spikes – driven by refined carbs and added sugars
Nutrient depletion – UPFs crowd out real, nutrient-dense foods
Mitochondrial damage – linked to synthetic emulsifiers and inflammatory fats

This isn’t a fringe idea. Large population studies have linked high UPF consumption with faster ageing, chronic disease, and increased risk of AMD.

And they’re not always obvious—many UPFs are marketed with misleading labels such as “low fat,” “wholegrain,” "plant-based" or “heart healthy.”

How to Spot Ultra-Processed Foods

UPFs tend to have:

A long list of ingredients (especially ones you wouldn’t cook with at home)
Additives, including stabilisers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners, or flavour enhancers
“Health” claims on the label—ironically, real food rarely needs to market itself
Highly refined ingredients, like wheat flour, glucose syrup, or maltodextrin

Examples include:

Packaged breakfast cereals
Flavoured yoghurts and fruit pots
Protein bars, cereal bars, and “health” snacks
Crisps, biscuits, crackers, and most supermarket bread
Margarine, “light” spreads, and low-fat products
Instant soups and ready meals
Plant-based meat alternatives and ultra-sweet dairy-free milks

If something comes in a packet, has five or more ingredients, or contains things like stabilisers or flavourings—it’s almost certainly ultra-processed.

But I Don’t Eat Junk Food…

This is one of the most common things I hear from clients—and I believe them!

But here’s the thing: UPFs don’t always look like junk food. They often look like everyday food:

Supermarket wraps and sandwich bread
Granola with “natural” honey and oats
Roasted nuts coated in sunflower oil
Dairy-free milk with added gums, sugar, and flavourings
Snack pots, dips, and “low fat” versions of real foods

It’s not about cutting everything out at once—it’s about becoming aware of where these ingredients are sneaking in.

What Can You Eat Instead?

You don’t need to eat perfectly. Just aim to base your meals on real, whole foods. Here are some simple swaps:

Swap packaged granola for nuts and seeds with fresh berries
Swap margarine or low-fat spread for real butter or olive oil
Swap flavoured yoghurt for full-fat Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and fresh fruit
Swap your cereal bar at snack-time for boiled eggs, leftover meat, or a piece of fruit with nuts
Swap supermarket bread for sourdough or homemade options (if tolerated)

The more you base your meals on real food—things like fish, meat, eggs, vegetables, fruit, and natural fats—the more your eyes (and body) will thank you.

A Final Thought

Ultra-processed foods are cheap, convenient, and everywhere—but they’re one of the biggest contributors to the rise in lifestyle-driven conditions like AMD.