Minimizing ultra-processed foods

Identifying ultra-processed vs whole foods isn’t always this obvious

Dear health improvement seekers,

Minimizing ultra-processed foods is important for everyone, but especially for women in their prime (i.e. 50+) because of the unique changes the body undergoes during and post-menopause. These changes can increase our risks of chronic health issues, and ultra-processed foods tend to worsen them. In this blog, I share the why and how of identify these foods.

✅ Why Minimize Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs)

(Always start with Why!)

1. Hormonal Changes & Weight Gain

• Menopause often leads to hormonal shifts that make weight gain—especially belly fat—more likely.

• UPFs are usually high in added sugar, unhealthy fats, and calories, making weight management harder.

  2. Increased Chronic Disease Risk

  • Diets that are UPF focused are linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.

  • Women’s risk of these conditions rises after 45–50 due to declining estrogen.

  3. Poor Nutrient Quality

  • UPFs often lack fiber, protein, and essential nutrients needed for bone, brain, and muscle health.

  4. Digestive & Gut Health Issues

  • Additives and emulsifiers in processed foods can disrupt gut bacteria, increasing inflammation and negatively affecting our immune system function.

  5. Mood & Energy Fluctuations

  • Refined carbs and artificial additives can contribute to fatigue, brain fog, and even depression, which some women already experience more intensely during perimenopause.

🔍 How to Identify Ultra-Processed Foods

Ultra-processed foods are not just "packaged" and those labeled as “instant“—they're industrially made products with little resemblance to real food. (I call them ‘frankenfoods’. ) But UPFs can be more subtle, so it’s important to be informed. Look for these signs in your quest to minimize them in your diet and feel more energy every day as you lower your disease risks.

1. Long Ingredient Lists

   • More than 5–6 ingredients is a good indicator that the food may be a UPF.

   • Look out for additives: colorings, flavor enhancers, emulsifiers, thickeners and preservatives.

   2. Unfamiliar or Artificial Ingredients

   • Ingredients you wouldn't find in a home kitchen such as:

     • Maltodextrin

     • High-fructose corn syrup

     • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

     • Hydrogenated oils

     • Artificial sweeteners (e.g., sucralose, aspartame)

2. Highly Refined

   • Foods that are pre-cooked, shelf-stable, “instant” or “ready-to-eat” such as:

     • Packaged snacks (chips, crackers)

     • Sugary cereals

     • Flavored yogurts

     • Frozen meals

     • Soft drinks and energy drinks

     • Processed meats (deli meats, hot dogs)

     • Ingredients such as enriched flour or white flour indicate refined grains, which lack the nutrients found in whole grains.

3. Marketing Clues

   • Product claims such as “instant”, “low fat,” “sugar-free,” “fortified with vitamins” often try to mask how processed a food really is.

🥗 Embracing Minimally Processed Foods (MPFs)

Aim for:

• Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables

• Whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa)

• Lean proteins (eggs, fish, legumes, tofu)

• Nuts and seeds

• Plain dairy, cashew based or unsweetened yogurt alternatives

✅ Healthier Alternatives

• Beverages Choose water, herbal teas, or infused water instead of sugary drinks

• Snacks Opt for fresh fruits, nuts, or homemade snacks over packaged ones

• Meals Prepare meals at home using whole ingredients (think vegetables, whole grains, lean and non-animal proteins)

Grocery Checklist

This simple checklist can assist you in food shopping. Shopping the perimeter of most grocery stores helps lots, too. (Think of the middle aisle foods as being primarily ‘dead’ food. You want vibrant and alive foods that are perishable (less of those delivered in tiny box and can ‘coffins’)!

Less

• Sugary cereals

• Packaged snacks (chips, okies)

• Processed meats (hot dogs, deli meats)

• Frozen ready meals

• Sugary drinks

More

• Fresh fruits and vegetables (fresh frozen works too if no sauces and preservatives.)

• Whole grains (brown rice, farro, quinoa)

• Lean proteins (chicken, fish, legumes, tofu, tempeh)

• Plain dairy products

• Nuts and seeds

Before I sign off, consider how you can close the gap between knowing and doing: partnering with a certified behavior change specialist (me!) will help you uplevel your health, age with more vitality and with fewer disease risks. Contact me to arrange your no-cost, judgement-free chat today.

To your abundant health and joy,

 Health Coach Gayle Rose

Certified Whole Health Coach

Certified Behavior Change Specialist

Certified Personal Fitness Trainer

720-793-0413

P.S. Twenty five WhyPowered clients have joined my ‘winners circle’ by shedding 50+ pounds without dieting, calorie counting or anything extreme. (Check out some WhyPowered success stories here.) Want to be success story #26? Get in touch to find out if you’re a good fit.

P.P.S. My Sweet Tooth Satisfaction e-book recipe collection of low and no-sugar wholesome and easy recipes is available here for download. Enjoy!