Continuing the Conversation With
Julie Hess

Ultra-processed foods are widely criticized for their negative impact on health, but it’s possible to create a healthful diet plan that is made up mainly of ultra-processed foods, according to a study conducted last year by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center.

More recent research from the same center showed that a menu composed of minimally processed foods may not be of high nutritional quality, according to ARS Research Nutritionist Julie Hess, who participated in a special session on ultra-processed foods at IFT FIRST. In the recent study, Hess’s team compared two menus—one made up of less-processed foods and one of more highly processed foods, but both of low nutritional quality. Food Technology asked Hess to share some of her thoughts on diet and health.

In addition to the fact that both diet plans had low nutrient densities, what else did the 2024 research show?

There was a significant difference in cost between the more and less processed versions of what we call our Western diet, and there was a significant difference in shelf stability as well. (The less-processed diet cost significantly more and had a shorter shelf life, Hess explained.)

How should consumers apply research about ultra-processed foods to their daily dietary choices?

I think what consumers are seeing right now is a lot of stories in the media about these epidemiological studies that we talked about during the session where there's an association between eating more calories from ultra-processed foods and adverse health outcomes. But what we don't see is the limitations to those epidemiological studies where there might be some challenges with the methodology with what's been considered an ultra-processed food. So I would say we really don't know a lot right now. I know it's frustrating to hear we need more research, but this is really a case where we need more research before there are concrete steps.

As a nutritionist, what’s your best advice for eating healthfully, factoring in practical considerations?

The three main drivers for food—and I think anyone who does consumer insights research [and] probably most food scientists know this—are taste, price, and convenience. If those are the top three drivers for food, I think you have to take those into account when you're planning a healthy diet for yourself. What is actually something that you enjoy eating that's an economical choice for you and that makes sense for you to prepare on a regular basis?

If you have a healthy diet that's not sustainable because it's not convenient for you and you can't follow it over the long term, is that really going to be a healthy diet for you? You're not going to be able to follow it. So from my perspective, I think we need to meet consumers where they are and look at what their priorities are and how they can build a healthy diet within the priorities that they've already shown that they have.

What is your next research project at the Grand Forks Center?

We just found out a couple of weeks ago that we got funding to do a human intervention study. So we will be doing a clinical trial and we are spending about a year developing menus of more and less processed foods. The more-processed foods menu will align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and so will the less-processed version of the menu.ft