Can cutting out ultra-processed foods lower your diabetes risk?

What counts as ultra-processed

Ultra-processed foods include many packaged snacks, sweet cereals, instant noodles, frozen meals, and fast foods. They often contain refined starches, gums, flavors, sweeteners, and long ingredient lists. They can also bring extra exposure from packaging and high-heat processing.

What the research says

A 2026 study in J Nutr compared controlled diets that were high in ultra-processed foods with diets made without ultra-processed foods. The diets were matched for major nutrients, so the researchers could look more closely at processing.

In this small six-week pilot trial, insulin resistance scores did not clearly change. Blood sugar patterns tended to look better in the non-ultra-processed group, and that group also had lower levels of 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, a food-contact chemical, and N6-carboxymethyllysine, a processing byproduct.

What to do at home

You do not have to change everything at once. Start with one meal or snack. Choose oats instead of sweet cereal, fruit and nuts instead of packaged sweets, or a simple home-cooked dinner instead of a frozen meal. Use simple tools and containers that make cooking and leftovers easier.