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This episode is all about ultra processed foods—what they are, why they matter for cravings, insulin resistance, and blood sugar, and how to spot them fast. No shame. Just clarity. If you’ve ever felt “the more I try, the worse it gets,” you are not broken. You are surrounded by food designed to overpower your biology. Let’s get you back in the driver’s seat.

• We explain the NOVA system (Groups 1–4) so you can name what you’re eating.
• We show how ultra processed foods change hunger and fullness.
• We cover why some foods make you eat more without meaning to (+508 calories/day in a study).
• We walk through high fructose corn syrup, seed oils, tallow fries, and processed meat with plain language.
• We end with simple swaps and a “workable” way to start.

• Group 1: Unprocessed or minimally processed food.
  • Examples: fresh or frozen fruits and veggies, plain meat or fish, eggs, dried beans, lentils, whole grains, milk, plain yogurt.
• Group 2: Processed culinary ingredients.
  • Examples: olive oil, butter, sugar, salt, vinegar.
• Group 3: Processed foods (Group 1 + Group 2, using simple methods).
  • Examples: simple bread (flour, yeast, salt), cheese, pickles, canned beans, canned fish, jarred tomato sauce.
• Group 4: Ultra processed foods (industrially made with additives you don’t cook with at home).
  • Common flags: artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, emulsifiers, gums, isolated starches/proteins, sugar substitutes (like sucralose or acesulfame potassium), high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated or inter-esterified oils.
  • Examples: flavored yogurts, protein bars with long labels, soda and energy drinks, many breakfast cereals, frozen pizzas and meals.

Working tip:

• Short ingredient list (5–6 items you know)? More likely Group 1–3.
• Long list with words ending in “-ose,” “-ate,” or “-ide,” plus artificial sweeteners or gums? Likely Group 4.

• They can hijack metabolism, increase visceral fat, and raise inflammation.
• They are engineered to be super tasty and easy to overeat.
• In a controlled study, people eating ultra processed foods ate about 508 more calories per day on average when allowed to eat as much as they wanted.
• In 2 weeks, that group gained about 2 pounds.
• A 2023 BMJ paper: for every 10% increase in ultra processed foods in the diet, type 2 diabetes risk rose by 15%.
• Sugar can hit the brain’s dopamine system in ways that drive cravings. It’s not “you”—it’s design.

Not all packaged food is bad. Canned beans, canned fish, simple bread, and jarred tomato sauce can be Group 3. The issue is the level of industrial processing and the additives used.

• History: Farm policy and corn subsidies made HFCS cheap and common. Tariffs made cane/beet sugar pricier. HFCS is stable in acidic drinks and easy to ship as a liquid.
• How HFCS is made: corn starch → enzymes → glucose → more enzymes → part of it becomes fructose (HFCS-42 or HFCS-55).
• Table sugar (from cane) is crushed, boiled, and crystallized. Fewer steps. No enzymatic reshaping.
• Americans still consume around 40 pounds of HFCS per person per year (down from ~60 pounds in the early 2000s).
• Marketing tried to rebrand HFCS as “corn sugar.” FDA said no.
• If you want the “old school” soda once in a while, Mexican Coke uses sugar, not HFCS. Still soda—just different sweetener.

• Hydrogenated oils (trans fats) were pushed in when saturated fat got blamed for heart disease. That didn’t end well.
• Inter-esterified oils were later used to replace trans fats in many ultra processed foods.
• Beef tallow has a higher smoke point than many seed oils. That doesn’t make a basket of fries a health food.
• Beware “one villain” marketing (like “100% beef tallow = 100% better fries”). A fried meal with white buns, processed meat, and soda is still not a health meal.

• Mad cow disease (BSE) taught us about prions—misfolded proteins that are very hard to destroy.
• Risk rose when mechanical separation pulled spinal/brain tissue into meat products.
• Reforms followed: bans on feeding cattle-to-cattle (1997), removal of high-risk tissues in older cattle, tighter rules on separation and inspections.
• Bottom line: the system was built for speed and profit, then patched after problems. It’s better, but still opaque. The burden of choice lands on you.

• Ingredient list longer than 5–6 items.
• Additives you wouldn’t cook with at home.
• Sweeteners: sucralose, acesulfame potassium, erythritol.
• Isolates: soy protein isolate, modified food starch.
• Colors: Red 40, Blue 1 (note: “natural flavors” doesn’t mean much).
• “Enriched” refined flour often points to Group 4 versions.
• Suffix clues: “-ose,” “-ate,” “-ide” can signal more industrial chemistry.

• Flavored yogurt → plain yogurt + a pile of fruit. If you need, drizzle a small teaspoon of honey at first.
• Breakfast cereal → oats with fruit and nuts, or eggs with veggies.
• Soda/energy drinks → water, sparkling water, or coffee/tea you sweeten less (or not at all).
• Protein bars with long labels → nuts, fruit, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, or a simple homemade bar.
• Frozen meals → batch-cook a simple chili, stew, or roasted tray bake you portion and freeze.

Planning beats panic:

• You will get hungry every 3–5 hours. Plan for it. Pack something simple so you aren’t stuck with a drive-thru decision.

Ultra processed foods are industrial products made with ingredients and techniques you don’t use at home—like artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, emulsifiers, gums, isolated starches and proteins, and engineered oils. They’re built to be shelf-stable, cheap, and super tasty. And they often lead to overeating, bigger glucose spikes, and more risk over time.

• For one week, jot down what you eat.
• Label each item: 1, 2, 3, or 4 (NOVA groups).
• No judgment. Just notice the pattern.
• Aim for more Group 1, some Group 2 and 3, and fewer Group 4.
• See how you feel as Group 4 goes down.

• “This episode is about clarity over confusion.”
• “You’re not alone and you’re not broken. You’re surrounded by food that was engineered to overpower your biology.”
• “Ultra processed foods can hijack your metabolism.”
• “In a study, people on ultra processed diets ate about 508 more calories a day—without trying.”
• “A basket of tallow-fried potatoes next to a refined bun and soda is not a health food.”
• “Plan for hunger. It’s coming every 3–5 hours.”

• What are ultra processed foods?
  • Industrially made products with additives and techniques not used at home. Think long labels, artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, gums, and engineered oils.
• Are ultra processed foods always unhealthy?
  • The problem is how they’re engineered and how they affect hunger, blood sugar, and overeating. Less is better. No shame—just reduce when you can.
• How do I spot them?
  • Long ingredient lists, artificial sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K), “modified” starches, isolates, and color additives (like Red 40).
• Is high fructose corn syrup worse than sugar?
  • HFCS is more industrial, cheaper, and common in drinks. It’s stable, easy to use at scale, and overused. Sugar isn’t a “health food” either, but HFCS took over for cost and convenience.
• Do ultra processed foods make me eat more?
  • In a study where people could eat as much as they wanted, the ultra processed group ate ~508 more calories per day and gained about 2 pounds in 2 weeks.
• Is there a special “diabetes diet”?
  • A healthy diet for type 2 diabetes looks like a healthy diet for most people: more real food (Group 1), fewer ultra processed foods.

• Ultra processed foods change how hungry and how full you feel.
• They can lead to higher blood sugar swings and overeating without trying.
• Don’t fall for “one villain” marketing. Look at the whole meal.
• Plan your food. If you plan, you win.
• Start small. Swap one thing. Then another.

• If this helped, share it with someone who feels stuck with cravings.
• Want help making the shift? Visit EmpoweredDiabetes.com. Real remission is possible.
• Take courage. You can do this—and we can help.

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