Eating minimally processed foods (MPFs) results in greater weight loss than ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) even when the same dietary guideline recommendations are followed, a randomized controlled trial suggests.

The small clinical trial, reported in Nature Medicine , indicates that the degree by which food is processed can affect health outcomes above its overall nutritional balance.

When adhered to for eight weeks, both diets resulted in weight loss. However, the percentage loss was nearly double with the minimally processed diet.

Food cravings were also far less common with the MPF diet, and the ability to resist these was higher.

“This study highlights the importance of ultra-processing in driving health outcomes in addition to the role of nutrients like fat, salt and sugar,” sai

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