WEIGHT LOSS DOUBLED ON THIS DIET A diet built around minimally processed foods helped people shed twice as much weight as one heavy on ultra-processed meals—even when both diets offered similar nutrients and let people eat as much as they wanted. That’s the big takeaway from a new long-term study out of University College London, published in Nature Medicine, which suggests that how food is processed may matter as much as what’s actually in it. The study followed 55 adults who rotated between two eight-week diets: one based on minimally processed foods (think overnight oats or homemade spaghetti Bolognese), and the other packed with ultra-processed options (like breakfast bars or ready-made lasagna). After each round, participants took a four-week break on their usual diets before switching to the other eating plan. Both diets were carefully matched for fat, protein, carbs, fiber, salt, and even included plenty of fruits and vegetables. Participants received more food than they c...
