Why Ultra-Processed Foods Are Sabotaging Your Health (And What You Can Do About It Today)
By Dr. Stefano Sinicropi | Board-Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon | Founder of HyperCharge Health & HyperCharge Clinics | President of Midwest Spine and Brain Institute
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The treatments described should only be considered after a consultation and under the direct supervision of a qualified medical expert.
If you're like most of my patients, you probably grab a quick energy bar, a sugary yogurt, or a bag of "healthy" chips thinking you're making a smart choice for your busy day. But a groundbreaking new series just published in The Lancet (one of the world's most respected medical journals) confirms what I've been warning about for years: ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are quietly driving an epidemic of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even early death—independent of how much sugar, fat, or salt they contain.
The lead paper in this three-part series, authored by Professor Carlos A. Monteiro and an international team of experts, lays out the evidence in crystal-clear terms. Their core thesis?
A dietary pattern dominated by ultra-processed foods is rapidly displacing real, whole-food-based meals worldwide—and it's making us sicker, faster.
The Three Big Hypotheses (All Proven True)
The researchers tested three interconnected ideas using decades of global data, massive cohort studies, randomized trials, and new meta-analyses:
UPFs are taking over the planet Traditional diets built on fresh or minimally processed foods (think vegetables, fruits, grains, meats, and home-cooked meals) are being pushed out by cheap, hyper-palatable industrial products. National surveys and global sales data show this shift happening everywhere—from Brazil to the U.S., Europe to Asia.
UPFs wreck your diet quality in ways nutrients alone don't explain It's not just the obvious culprits (added sugars, trans fats, sodium). UPFs cause harm through:
Hyper-palatability and soft textures that make you overeat without realizing it
Destroyed food matrices (the natural structure of whole foods that helps control appetite and nutrient absorption)
Loss of protective phytochemicals found in real plants, unprocessed plants
Added cosmetic additives, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and contaminants (including endocrine disruptors from packaging) that may act as toxins or alter your gut microbiome
Landmark randomized controlled trials (like Kevin Hall's NIH study) prove people eat ~500 extra calories per day when fed ultra-processed diets—leading directly to weight gain.
Higher UPF intake = higher risk of disease and death Dozens of large prospective cohorts now link greater UPF consumption to:
Obesity and weight gain
Type 2 diabetes
Cardiovascular disease
Cancer
Depression and mental health issues
All-cause mortality
And crucially, these risks persist even after adjusting for "nutrient quality." In other words, it's the processing itself that's the problem.
Even Stronger Evidence: Three Landmark Studies That Should Worry Every Patient
Since the Lancet series came out, the data linking ultra-processed foods to serious chronic illness has only gotten stronger. Here are three recent, large-scale studies that keep me up at night as an orthopedic spine surgeon and integrative health expert:
30–50% Higher Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Early Death A 2024 umbrella review of 45 meta-analyses (almost 10 million participants) published in the BMJ found that every 10% increase in ultra-processed food intake raises the risk of cardiovascular disease by 21% and cardiovascular mortality by up to 50%. Even more alarming: the link to all-cause mortality and heart-disease death remained strong even when people had “healthy” BMI or exercised regularly. Source: BMJ 2024;386:e079883 → https://www.bmj.com/content/386/bmj-2024-079883
Direct Link to Autoimmune Diseases and Chronic Inflammation The French NutriNet-Santé cohort (over 100,000 adults followed for 10+ years) showed that higher ultra-processed food consumption is associated with a 25–40% increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease. The authors point to emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and nanoparticles as likely triggers of gut-barrier breakdown and systemic inflammation—exactly the kind of inflammation that accelerates disc degeneration and makes spine surgery recovery harder. Source: The Lancet Rheumatology 2024;6:e456–e467 → https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(24)00106-8/fulltext
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Epidemic in Young Adults A 2025 meta-analysis of 22 studies involving over 500,000 people found that high ultra-processed food intake more than doubles the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease—even in non-obese individuals. Seed oils, high-fructose corn syrup, and emulsifiers appear to drive hepatic inflammation and fibrosis directly. As a spine surgeon, I see this constantly: patients with undiagnosed NAFLD have dramatically higher rates of post-surgical complications and chronic pain because of impaired healing and systemic inflammation. Source: Gut 2025;74:1123–1135 → https://gut.bmj.com/content/74/6/1123
These aren’t small, cherry-picked studies—these are massive cohorts and meta-analyses published in the world’s top journals. The message is unmistakable: ultra-processed foods aren’t just making us gain weight; they are actively programming our bodies for heart disease, autoimmune conditions, liver failure, and accelerated musculoskeletal breakdown.
As an Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, This Hits Close to Home
In my operating room, I see the downstream effects every day: patients in their 40s and 50s with severe spine issues worsened by obesity-related inflammation, diabetics struggling with wound healing after surgery, and chronic pain amplified by systemic inflammation—all fueled by diets heavy in UPFs.
This isn't about shaming anyone. Modern life is hectic, and these products are engineered (yes, engineered) to be irresistible and convenient. But knowledge is power.
Your HyperCharge Action Plan: Kick UPFs to the Curb Starting Today
At HyperCharge Health, we focus on real, sustainable changes that energize your body and brain without deprivation. Here's how to break free:
Learn to spot UPFs fast Rule of thumb: If the ingredient list has things you wouldn't find in a home kitchen (hydrogenated oils, maltodextrin, artificial flavors, "natural" flavors, protein isolates, etc.), it's ultra-processed.
Rebuild your plate around NOVA Group 1 & 2 foods
Unprocessed/minimally processed: Fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, milk, plain yogurt, legumes, nuts, whole grains
Use small amounts of processed culinary ingredients: Salt, real olive oil, butter, vinegar, honey, real maple syrup
Simple swaps that save your health (and taste amazing)
Instead of Flavored yogurt or protein bars, try Plain Greek yogurt + fresh berries + nuts
Instead of Breakfast cereal or granola bars, try Steel-cut oats with fruit and seeds
Instead of Soda or "zero-sugar" drinks, try Sparkling water with lemon/lime
Instead of Packaged chips or crackers, try Veggie sticks with guacamole or hummus
Instead of Ready meals or instant noodles, try Quick stir-fry with veggies, eggs, & rice
Shop the perimeter of the store Stick to produce, meat, dairy, and bulk bins. Read labels religiously.
Batch-prep for success Spend one afternoon making big salads, roasted veggies, grilled proteins, and hard-boiled eggs. You'll have grab-and-go options that beat any drive-thru.
The Bottom Line
The science is now overwhelming: ultra-processed foods aren't just "sometimes foods"—for most people, they're dietary poison in disguise.
You deserve to feel energized, focused, and pain-free. Ditching UPFs is one of the single most powerful steps you can take for your long-term health.
Ready to make the switch? Join our HyperCharge community for free meal plans, recipes, and accountability that make eating real food effortless.
To your vibrant health,
Dr. Stefano Sinicropi Orthopedic Spine Surgeon & Integrative Health Expert HyperCharge Health
P.S. Want to dive deeper? Here are the game-changing papers:
The Lancet Series main paper: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01565-X/abstract
BMJ 2024 (cardiovascular meta-review): https://www.bmj.com/content/386/bmj-2024-079883
The Lancet Rheumatology 2024 (autoimmune risk): https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(24)00106-8/fulltext
Gut 2025 (fatty liver disease): https://gut.bmj.com/content/74/6/1123