In other news, the definition of ultraprocessed remains all over the fucking place with little consistency and rooting in logic. It’s a term that grew out of marketing and ended up being defined by non-scientists/non-doctors.

raw oats in a bag: unprocessed
rolled oats: processed
rolled oats spun in a blender, instant oatmeal: ultra processed

Cookies made from unprocessed ingredients: minimally processed put them in a bag and sell them on a shelf: ultra-processed

Same nutritional value. Doesn’t require additives.

Raw Milk: unprocessed Fresh, pasteurized milk : “minimally processed”

Brown Sugar: unprocessed white sugar: processed

white sugar and pasteurized milk mixed together: processed

Freeze that mixture? Ultra processed.

Again, same nutritional value.

Going from raw to pasteurized, has a substantial change in nutrition, yet, it’s minimally processed.

We need, as a society, for scientists and doctors to agree on processing and food values, not on the general public’s consensus. Certainly, some foods lose their value or are handled differently by the body. Some things, like nitrates, earn an easy bad-for-you label.

As is stands now, home made cookies are seen as more healthy, than if put them in a bag and sell them. We need to trigger on nutrition loss, and added ingredients, not if wheat was put through a blender or berries were frozen unless it has a meaningful loss on actual health.