Published August 17, 2026 03:00AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This article has been medically reviewed by Kelly Jones<\/a>, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/section>\n For years, ultra-processed foods have been enemy number one in the fitness and nutrition worlds. \u201cTypical ultra-processed food items such as sugar-sweetened beverages, candies, and processed meats are known to inflict adverse health outcomes,\u201d Xiaowen Wang<\/a>, PhD,\u00a0told Outside<\/i>. Wang is a nutrition researcher at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. That \u201cexplains the highly consistent findings linking total ultra-processed food intake to higher risk of developing chronic disease, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and premature deaths,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n However, new research led by Wang and her team affirmed what several other studies have shown: the degree of processing a food undergoes may not affect our health as much as we thought. It may be the nutrient density of the food, rather than how it was made, that carries more weight in terms of its impact on health.<\/p>\n The study<\/a>, recently presented at the American Society for Nutrition\u2019s 2026 annual meeting, suggests that ultra-processed foods\u2014such as whole-grain breads, dairy foods like Greek yogurt, and even protein bars\u2014may support overall health, provided they use high-quality ingredients.<\/p>\n It\u2019s probably time for us to stop demonizing ultra-processed foods, especially our beloved protein bars. Here\u2019s what to know.<\/p>\n Foods are categorized by level of processing using the NOVA classification system<\/a>. NOVA, which is not an acronym, was developed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo in Brazil. For example, a raw potato is unprocessed, boxed mashed potato mix is processed, and potato chips are ultra-processed. However, processing type doesn\u2019t automatically reflect a food\u2019s nutritional quality, Wang told me.<\/p>\n A cooked white potato, for example, is a whole food with no processing other than being cleaned after harvest. Boxed mashed potatoes, however, have undergone more processing and may contain additives. However, your favorite boxed mashed potatoes still <\/i>contain nutrients\u2014such as potassium\u2014and some brands don\u2019t include any artificial ingredients. This isn\u2019t to say that you should eat boxed mashed potatoes with wanton abandon, but that processing type shouldn\u2019t always be the deciding factor when looking for healthy food options.<\/p>\n In the journal study, Wang and her research team analyzed data from three studies that followed the dietary habits of more than 200,000 American adults between 1984 and 2021. They used a guide called the Plant-Based Diet Index to assess how much each participant ate plant-based versus animal foods, how healthy their diets were, and how frequently they consumed plant-based foods with varying levels of processing.<\/p>\n The researchers put the participants into four groups based on their diets: 1) healthy and ultra-processed; 2) healthy and minimally processed; 3) unhealthy and ultra-processed; 4) unhealthy and minimally processed.<\/p>\n During the study period, about half of the participants died or developed heart disease or type 2 diabetes. When the researchers compared health outcomes with diet, they found that healthy diets were associated with a lower risk of these outcomes, whereas unhealthy diets were associated with a higher risk. That\u2019s the obvious and uninteresting result.<\/p>\n The surprising part is that the researchers found that both<\/i> healthy groups\u2014despite being labeled as ultra-processed or minimally processed\u2014had similar positive health outcomes. Specifically, participants in group 1 who followed a healthy\/ultra-processed diet showed a 14 percent lower risk of heart disease, 33 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and 11 percent lower risk of death. People in group 2, who ate a healthy\/minimally-processed diet, also showed a reduced risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and death; those numbers were 18 percent, 34 percent, and seven percent, respectively.<\/p>\n Even though many people have come to associate \u201cultra-processed\u201d with \u201cunhealthy,\u201d they\u2019re not the same thing, Scott Keatley<\/a>, RD,\u00a0told Outside<\/i>. Keatley is a registered dietitian and co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy, a nutrition telehealth company. \u201cThe term \u2018ultra-processed\u2019 describes how<\/i> a food was made, but it doesn\u2019t necessarily tell us what that food contributes nutritionally,\u201d he said. \u201cProcessing can also make nutritious foods more convenient, affordable, shelf-stable, or accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n Below are some foods that are ultra-processed and\u00a0<\/em>offer nutritional value:<\/p>\n \u201cThese are technically classified as ultra-processed, but they still provide essential nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds that support metabolism and gut health,\u201d Wang said. \u201cIf an ultra-processed food is nutrient-dense, it can still make a very meaningful and beneficial contribution to a healthy diet.\u201d<\/p>\n The answer to that is: not necessarily all <\/em>you want, but you can certainly indulge in them when the mood strikes.<\/p>\n \u201cProtein bars make hitting your daily needs more convenient, affordable, and tasty,\u201d Lisa Moskovitz<\/a>, RD,\u00a0told Outside<\/i>. Moskovitz is a registered dietitian and founder of The New York Nutrition Group, a nutrition practice that offers personalized diet plans.<\/i> \u201cSome brands even go a step further for additional functionality by adding in fiber and vitamins.\u201d<\/p>\n Depending on their composition and protein quality, some protein bars can be filling, helping to reduce cravings between meals, Sandra Zhang, RD, a registered dietitian based in Boston,\u00a0told Outside<\/i>. And, according to Keatley, protein bars \u201ccan provide a portable source of protein and energy when the alternative might be skipping a meal or grabbing something that doesn\u2019t meet your nutritional needs whatsoever.\u201d So, if you\u2019re traveling, working long hours, or exercising and can\u2019t cook an elaborate meal, a protein bar can fill in the gaps, he said.<\/p>\n While you wouldn\u2019t want to eat a diet of only <\/i>protein bars, their biggest benefit, according to Keatley, is that \u201cthey can make an otherwise healthy eating pattern easier to maintain in real life.\u201d You just need to choose the right ones.<\/p>\n Not all protein bars are created equal. \u201cIt can support your health if it is formulated with high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients like fiber, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, while keeping added sugars and sodium low, Wang said. It\u2019s also a good idea to choose bars lower in saturated fats. This means picking a bar where saturated fats make up less than ten percent of the total calories.<\/p>\n Moskovitz suggests reading the label closely while looking at protein bars. \u201cI recommend a minimum of ten grams of protein,\u201d she said. \u201cBonus points if it also contains a few grams of digestion-supporting fiber.\u201d<\/p>\n Zhang also suggested choosing bars with a short ingredients list or with ingredients you recognize.<\/p>\n But Keatley says it\u2019s important to consider what you want to get out of your protein bar, beyond protein. That might mean you\u2019re looking for extra carbs on a run, iron if you\u2019re working on increasing your stores (especially if any of your past lab work has indicated low iron), or fiber if you\u2019re working on improving gut health.<\/p>\n While the goal should still be to rely on minimally processed protein foods as much as possible, protein bars do have a place in any diet.<\/p>\n Keatley emphasized that the biggest takeaway is this: \u201cOverall diet quality appears to be the stronger factor [when compared to processing level], and we shouldn\u2019t discourage nutritious foods simply because they come in a package.\u201d<\/p>\n About the medical reviewer:<\/strong> Kelly Jones is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics and owner of Kelly Jones Nutrition<\/a>, a nutrition communications consulting company as well as a private practice. As a nationally recognized expert, Kelly is regularly featured in broadcast and digital media, consults with brands on product development and marketing, works with national sports organizations and colleges, and assists global corporations with performance nutrition programming. With a plant-forward approach, she and her team of dietitians offer practical resources to help fuel those with busy, active lifestyles.<\/em><\/p>\n Want more <\/b>Outside<\/i><\/b> health stories? <\/b>Sign up for the Bodywork newsletter<\/b><\/a>. And for tips on how to train, fuel, and recover better, <\/b>sign up for the Sweat Science 101 newsletter<\/b>.<\/b><\/p>\nUltra-Processed Foods Get a Bad Rep\u2014but They\u2019re Not All Bad<\/b><\/h2>\n
Which Ultra-Processed Foods Are Good for You?<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Can You Eat All of the Protein Bars You Want?<\/b><\/h2>\n
If Protein Bars Are Your Thing, Look for These Ingredients<\/b><\/h2>\n