Gov. Gavin Newsom of California on Wednesday signed into law a set of rules aimed at reducing ultraprocessed foods in schools. The legislation comes as many health experts and consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about ultraprocessed foods, which make up 62 percent of the calories U.S. children consume. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said that schools have […]
It’s a little after 9:30 a.m. on a recent weekday, and hair-netted workers at the Alhambra Unified School District’s central production kitchen are boxing up the last of 350 handmade sushi rolls for the city’s three high schools. The spicy tuna rolls, redolent of cooked fish blended with sriracha and mayonnaise, are a popular lunch […]
California has long led the way on school meals. In 2022, it became the first state in the country to make school meals free for all students, regardless of income. Many districts have implemented farm-to-school programs to bring local foods into the cafeteria. And last year, months before the “Make America healthy again” movement would make its way to the […]
You’ve probably heard lately about the risks of ultra-processed food, or UPF. What you might not know is that UPF may not all be the same when it comes to our health. Some UPF can create health risks, particularly when eaten in excess. American adults get more than half their calories from UPF. Kids get even more – 67% – and exposure […]
Food dyes seem to be everywhere in snacks, drinks and many other grocery store items. But some dyes, particularly synthetic, petroleum-based ones, are linked to preventable health harms, from developmental disruption to increased risk of cancer. Yet the U.S. continues to allow their use in food, even as other countries ban them. And the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t reviewed many dyes in […]
Research and public attention to heart disease has for decades focused on its known risk factors, such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, excessive drinking and cholesterol levels. But a growing body of research points to another, often overlooked culprit: ultra-processed food, or UPF. Heart disease is one of the most common and deadly medical conditions in the U.S. […]
Most of the American diet is comprised of calories from ultraprocessed foods, which have been linked to a myriad of poor health outcomes and are a key target in US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda. A new report published Thursday by the US Centers for Disease Control and […]
Type 2 diabetes affects roughly 34 million Americans. The numbers are rising, especially among children, and ultra-processed food might be playing a role. Americans are increasingly consuming this type of food, which can include packaged snacks, soda, instant noodles, fast food, frozen entrees and refined bread. Americans’ dietary habits for ready-to-eat foods has gone up over the past two decades, […]
Since 2000, the food and chemical industry has greenlighted nearly 99% of food chemicals introduced onto the market without federal safety review, according to a new EWG analysis. The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring food is safe. But the industry instead is deciding what food chemicals are suitable for people to eat. […]
Many of us love snacks. Chips, cookies, lunchables, sodas – you name it. If purchased from a store, they are often ultra-processed foods, or UPF. They’ve been getting a lot of attention, in part because of how they may harm children. A large portion of dietary energy intake for most kids and adults comes from these foods. What […]