People whose diet contained fewer processed foods lost more weight than people who ate more ultra-processed foods, a recent study confirmed.
While both groups lost weight, those eating less in the way of processed foods shed twice as many pounds.
The key to weight loss in both groups was likely that they both consumed a well-balanced diet, with the only difference being the amount of ultraprocessed foods they consumed.
People who ate a diet of minimally processed foods lost twice as much weight as other people consuming ultra-processed foods in a new randomized crossover trial.
Both groups shed pounds during the weight-loss trial, in which all participants followed a diet . The only difference between their diets was the proportion of processed foods they contained.
The people in the minimally processed foods group lost twice as much weight as those in the ultra-processed foods group, suggesting that eating less processed foods can better help one maintain a healthy weight.
Participants on a minimally processed foods diet consumed 289.9 fewer calories per day, and lost 2% of their body weight on average. According to the study authors, this could amount to as much as a 13% weight loss for men and 9% for women over a period of 1 year.
People eating ultra-processed foods reduced their daily calorie intake by less, 119.5 calories, and lost 1% of their weight over the course of the trial.
