Processed Foods & Added Sugars

March is National Nutrition Month^®, a great time to learn more about nutritional strategies for healthier living.

Today, many people are becoming increasingly aware of and concerned about processed foods in the diet. Foods that have been more heavily processed tend to be less nutrient-dense and have higher amounts of added sugars, fat, and sodium. Additives including added sugars may make foods and beverages taste better and extend their shelf life, but they also encourage consumers to eat extra calories, which may contribute to excess body weight and multiple health problems.

Read on to learn more about processed foods, the added sugars in many processed foods, and some of the health issues associated with higher consumption of added sugars. Also, discover a few of our great nutrition education materials that raise awareness about the health consequences associated with consuming highly processed foods with too many added sugars.

The most processed foods, often called ultraprocessed foods, often involve a considerable amount of manufacturing. Typically, they are high in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. A few examples include premade, microwavable meals; frozen pizza; fries; chocolates; cola; and frozen desserts.

Our Junk Food Model Set Display provides a fun, impactful way to teach about ultra-processed foods and the value of reading food labels. The display features 10 food models of highly processed foods (such as a chocolate bar, cake doughnut, hot dog, and cola) and a two-panel folding display with tips for making healthier food options (such as reading food labels and looking for options lower in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium). Teaching with the display is a great way to emphasize that having so-called “junk food” as only an occasional treat is generally OK as part of a healthy lifestyle focused on nutrient-dense foods and regular physical activity.

Sugars that are naturally occurring in unprocessed or minimally processed foods are called natural sugars. Fruits, vegetables milk, and some grains all contain natural sugars. Foods with natural sugars tend to have a high nutritional value and are often good sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. For example, 100% orange juice is made from oranges, which contain natural sugars and are also a great source of vitamin C.

Added sugars refer to the sugars or syrups that are added to foods during processing or preparation. Processed foods often contain significant amounts of added sugar. Added sugars provide extra calories but little or no nutritional value. For example, cola is full of added sugars in the form of high fructose corn syrup, but it doesn’t provide nutritional value in the form of vitamins, minerals, or fiber. Sugar contains about 4 calories per gram, which means that consuming a food or beverage high in added sugars can add a lot of extra calories without contributing any healthy nutrients.

A dietary pattern high in added sugars can contribute to the development of several serious health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay.

Obesity—The consumption of added sugars can lead to excess weight gain. For many people, sugar-sweetened beverages are a primary source of added sugar consumption. Drinking sugary beverages provides consumers with calories but doesn’t offer satiety the way solid foods do. As a result, they end up consuming more calories to compensate. Featuring a giant soda can filled with a large, squishy soda bottle and a model of a 5 pound bag of sugar, our Fizzics of Soda™ Display is a fun way to show the connection between sugary drinks and weight gain.

Heart Disease— Studies indicate an increased risk in heart attack and heart disease in people who regularly consume sugar-sweetened foods and beverages. Eating too much added sugar may increase the risk of dying from heart disease.

Tooth Decay— Consuming sugar-sweetened foods and beverages promotes tooth decay and dental cavities. Often, people may not realize how many foods (despite being considered relatively healthy choices) actually contain added or “hidden sugars.” Our Hidden Sugar Facts Test Tubes are a great way to help consumers visualize the amounts of sugar in 10 common foods, from minimally processed options (such as apple juice) to heavily processed choices (such as a fruit roll snack or toaster pastry).