Cookies, cold meats, soft drinks... you've probably heard of ultra-processed foods (UPF). This term covers foods that have little or nothing in common with the raw materials from which they are derived. The original food has undergone intense physical, chemical or biological transformations through industrial processes, and the addition of additives and/or ingredients reserved for industrial use and not used in home cooking.
These foods should be limited, as they are of lower nutritional quality on average than raw foods, and they may contain additives and/or contaminants formed during transformation processes. The results of a systematic review also show a positive and significant association between TUE consumption and risk of overweight/obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease mortality and all-cause mortality.
For your health, it is recommended to favor fresh, minimally processed foods, which are richer in vitamins and often lower in fat, salt, sugar and additives. You can refer to the NutriScore to make better nutritional choices when you go shopping.

For further information, we recommend that you consult :

- The MangerBouger.fr website
- The Santé Publique France website, and its nutrition and physical activity section
- The website of ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, and its food and human nutrition section.
- French Nutrition Society website
- The report of the PNNS, Programme Nationale de Nutrition et Santé (2018-2023), which defines all nutritional recommendations