The U.S. government has issued its first recommendation for Americans to limit consumption of heavily processed foods, citing their role in diet-related health conditions. However, this guidance leaves many consumers struggling to distinguish between minimally processed and ultra-processed options in their daily food choices.
According to Alexandra DiFeliceantonio, a food neuroscience researcher at Virginia Tech, marketing tactics often mislead consumers into believing products are less processed than they actually are. This confusion particularly affects people’s ability to identify ultra-processed carbohydrates and starches.
Ultra-processed products are manufactured using industrial techniques and contain additives typically absent from home kitchens, including preservatives, artificial sweeteners, food coloring, synthetic flavors, and emulsifiers. Research has consistently linked these foods to increased risks of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental health issues, and weight gain.
Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian from the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University notes that consumers frequently seek guidance on selecting healthier versions of grain-based products like bread, crackers, pretzels, pasta, and puffed cereals. To address this need, he recommends two straightforward evaluation methods.
The Fiber-to-Carbohydrate Ratio Method
The first technique involves examining nutrition labels to ensure adequate fiber content. Products should contain at least one gram of fiber for every ten grams of total carbohydrates. For instance, a granola bar with thirty grams of carbohydrates should provide a minimum of three grams of fiber to meet this standard.
This ratio indicates whether products contain sufficient whole grains, bran, seeds, and other beneficial components rather than consisting primarily of refined flour and added sugars.
The Water Immersion Test
The second evaluation method requires placing a piece of the grain product in water for three to four hours and observing the results. This simple experiment reveals important information about food processing levels.
Minimally processed grains retain their natural plant cell walls, which create protective barriers around carbohydrate chains. These intact cell walls prevent the grain from dissolving in water, indicating healthier processing methods.
When carbohydrates resist water dissolution, they also digest more slowly in the human body. This gradual digestion process prevents overwhelming the liver and metabolic hormones, reducing risks of weight gain and diabetes development.
Additionally, slowly digested carbohydrates travel further into the digestive tract, where they nourish beneficial gut bacteria essential for overall health.
How Ultra-Processing Affects Digestion
Dr. Meroë B. Morse from MD Anderson Cancer Center explains that ultra-processed grains undergo manufacturing processes that essentially pre-digest the original plant material. Companies break down grains, corn, or potatoes into individual components before reassembling them, removing natural cell walls in the process.
Without protective cell walls, digestive enzymes quickly convert these carbohydrates into simple sugars, causing rapid glucose spikes in the bloodstream. These spikes trigger insulin level increases, potentially contributing to insulin resistance and diabetes over time.
Practical Testing Results
A home experiment comparing homemade whole wheat bread with a commercial baguette containing preservatives, dextrose, wheat gluten, and various additives demonstrated the effectiveness of the water test.
After three hours in water, the homemade bread remained structurally intact with clear surrounding water, indicating minimal processing. The commercial baguette, however, absorbed excessive water and became sponge-like, while the surrounding water turned cloudy from dissolved starches.
This visual demonstration effectively illustrates how ultra-processed breads behave differently in both water and the human digestive system, despite appearing similar to less processed alternatives.
These simple testing methods provide consumers with practical tools for making informed decisions about carbohydrate choices, helping them identify products that support better metabolic health and overall well-being.
Photo by Daria Nepriakhina 🇺🇦 on Unsplash
Photo by Dmitrii Tarnovski on Unsplash
