Inside the push for dietary guidance on ultraprocessed foods — and why it’s failing right now

CNN — Twenty-year-old Sam Srisatta is giving a month of his life to science — research that could help shape the future of US nutritional and regulatory guidance about the ultraprocessed foods that make up nearly 70% of the nation’s food supply. Ultraprocessed foods typically contain combinations of sugar, salt and fats designed to maximize the “bliss point” of a food, making it potentially irresistible — much like the 1960s Lay’s potato chip ads starring actor Bert Lahr, famed for playing the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz,” who said, “Betcha can’t eat just one.” Potential pitfalls of ultraprocessed foods Advances in food science over the decades since have created even more artificial flavors, smells and textures that experts say home-cooked meals can no longer replicate. “There’s a lot of debate about whether or not all ultraprocessed foods are bad for you,” Hall said. “They also tend to believe that they’re sticking to a very low calorie amount throughout the entire dietary period — they actually end up consuming gradually more and more calories over time.” The committee standards also excluded studies that were not clear on how foods were considered ultraprocessed — a common occurrence due to ongoing controversy among nutritionists as to how to define ultraprocessed foods. “This ties the hands of the DGAC and explains why the committee has to be hesitant about suggesting eating less of ultraprocessed foods, despite all the studies indicating harm.” Testing two theories of overeating On a fall day during his second week in the metabolic unit, Srisatta’s breakfast is a huge bowl of oatmeal, a side of yogurt and an extra-large helping of scrambled eggs with spinach — all part of the 6,000 calories he is offered each day.