How do ultraprocessed foods affect the gut?
- Alice Callahan
- New York TimesUpdated: Nov 30, 2025, 20:50 IST IST
From breakfast cereals to packaged breads, ultra-processed foods have become routine — yet emerging science suggests they may be anything but harmless. New evidence ties them to weakened gut barriers, harmful microbiome shifts and higher risks of chronic digestive conditions.
Walk into a typical supermarket in the United States, and much of what you see — breakfast cereals, frozen meals, processed meats, sodas — is considered ultraprocessed food.
