Registered dietitian nutritionist and GFI affiliate faculty Gabby Headrick answers what to watch for on labels.
"As a registered dietitian nutritionist who has studied and taught about food for over a decade, I don’t recommend cutting out all ultra-processed food. This is neither realistic in today’s world nor completely necessary. Instead, I encourage prioritizing whole and minimally processed foods whenever possible. Think fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen), whole grains like brown rice or farro, and lean proteins like chicken, fish or legumes. A simple guide is to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with whole grains and a quarter with lean protein. For snacks, pair a fruit or vegetable with a protein or healthy fat source, like apples with peanut butter or carrots with hummus (even if that hummus might be considered ultra-processed)."