The Most Ultra-Processed Foods
An eye-opening analysis of the worst offenders in our database, revealing products with extreme processing scores.
⚠️ 10 min read•📊 Real Data Analysis•🔍 1,972,030 products analyzed
The Ultra-Processing Reality
31.0%
of all products are ultra-processed (PS >8.0)
14.8%
score PS >12 (extremely processed)
1,972,030
total products analyzed
What Makes Food Ultra-Processed?
Foods scoring PS >8.0 typically contain industrial formulations with:
- • 5+ types of additives (preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers)
- • Ingredients you'd never find in a home kitchen
- • Multiple stages of industrial processing
- • Engineered for hyper-palatability and extended shelf life
- • Little to no whole food content
The Most Ultra-Processed Products We Found
These are actual products from our database with the highest processing scores. The worst offender? A gingerbread castle kit with 139 ingredients and a Processing Score of 98.7 - nearly 10x higher than ultra-processed threshold!
1. BUILD IT YOURSELF GINGERBREAD CASTLE, GINGERBREAD
Wilton • Cookies & Crackers • 139 ingredients
98.7
Ultra
Processing
0.5
Poor
Nutrition
2. ASSORTED COOKIES
Payaso • Cookies & Crackers • 151 ingredients
96.1
Ultra
Processing
5.0
Good
Nutrition
3. PARISIAN STYLE COOKIES, PARISIAN STYLE
Cookie Cupboard • Cookies & Crackers • 169 ingredients
95.0
Ultra
Processing
1.5
Poor
Nutrition
4. GINGERBREAD SUPER MARKETS STORE KIT
Publix • Cookies & Crackers • 137 ingredients
92.6
Ultra
Processing
1.5
Poor
Nutrition
For context: Most whole foods have a PS of 1-3. Even regular processed foods typically score 5-8. These products are in a league of their own, representing the extreme end of industrial food processing.
What We Learned
- ⚠️Cookie and snack products dominate: Most of the worst offenders are in the Cookies & Crackers category, followed by candy and snacks.
- ⚠️Ingredient counts are shocking: Products with 100+ ingredients are not uncommon. The average ultra-processed food has 25+ ingredients.
- ⚠️Holiday/novelty foods are the worst: Gingerbread kits, cookie collections, and variety packs tend to have the highest scores.
- ⚠️Even "Unknown Brand" products score high: Store brands and generic products can be just as ultra-processed as name brands.
Take Action Against Ultra-Processing
Disclaimer: All tools and data visualizations are provided for educational and informational purposes only. They are not intended as health, medical, or dietary advice. Always consult healthcare professionals for personalized dietary guidance.