A new study from University College London has found that eating minimally processed foods can lead to greater weight loss compared to ultra-processed foods, even when both diets are nutritionally balanced. The study, which involved 55 adults who switched between two diets for eight weeks each, revealed that participants on the minimally processed diet lost an average of 2.06% of their body weight, while those on the ultra-processed diet lost only 1.05%.
The researchers, led by Dr. Samuel Dicken, found that the key to the difference in weight loss was not just the nutrients in the foods, but also the level of processing. Minimally processed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, were shown to have a greater impact on weight loss than ultra-processed foods.
The study’s findings suggest that cutting down on processing could help sustain a healthy weight over time. The researchers also found that participants who switched from the ultra-processed diet to the minimally processed diet had significant improvements in their food cravings and ability to resist them, compared to those who started with the minimally processed diet.
Overall, the study’s results support the idea that choosing minimally processed foods can be an effective way to lose weight and maintain a healthy body composition. The researchers caution that longer studies are needed to fully investigate the effects of processing on health outcomes, but their findings provide valuable insights into the importance of reducing food processing in our diets.
The study was published in Nature Medicine and was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research UCLH Biomedical Research Centre and the Rosetrees Trust.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250805041616.htm