Latest news with #foodismedicine
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Medically Tailored Meal Companies Want to Send You Fresh Food for Free. (If You Qualify.)
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." WHETHER YOUR pressure is on the upswing or your stomach's always wrecked, one of the first things your doctor might ask is, 'What's your diet like?' They'll probably tell you to cut back on greasy takeout and eat more vegetables, then come back in a month for a quick check-in. This guidance is so vague, it almost feels pointless. Cut back … forever? Eat more … how? The 'food is medicine" movement wants to eliminate that confusion: Proponents believe doctors should be better educated about nutrition, and sick patients should receive an Rx for groceries and healthy meals. The idea is, by making high-quality food easier to access, our healthcare system will be better equipped to prevent—and even treat—disease. Prescribing medically tailored meals (MTMs) is one way to go about this: Dietitians personalize prepared meals to meet the needs of people with chronic health conditions. The goal is to improve their health and quality of life while also cutting down on medical bills. Research suggests this concept could do a lot of good. A 2025 study published in the journal Health Affairs estimates that a national MTM program would save the U.S. a whopping $32 billion in healthcare costs. So far, the benefits—fewer symptoms, less frequent hospital visits, better odds of living longer—are most promising for people with HIV/AIDs, diabetes, heart failure, cancer, and kidney disease, but scientists have only scratched the surface, says Seth Berkowitz, MD, MPH, the section chief for research at UNC School of Medicine. (Dr. Berkowitz investigates the health outcomes of medically tailored meal interventions.) While you may have only recently heard of medically tailored meals, the Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) has been fine-tuning them for decades, says executive director Alissa Wassung. Its nonprofit agencies partner with chefs and dietitians across 25 states to deliver medically tailored meals, medical nutrition therapy, and nutrition counseling to people living with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, the list goes on. The people the agencies serve receive meals for free, thanks to state and federal programs and philanthropic donations. It seems like a no-brainer: If you give people healthy meals, surely they'll get healthier. But the current state of MTMs is not without growing pains. Recently the space has become crowded and confusing. Dozens of ambitious start-ups have boarded the food-is-medicine train. They, too, deliver prepared meals marketed as dietitian-approved and medically tailored, sometimes for no or low cost with health insurance. In theory, having more MTM providers would be a great thing. It'd mean that more people could use a much-needed service that's sparse or nonexistent in many parts of the country. But grassroots advocates worry that some for-profit companies are using misleading marketing tactics and skimping on quality. 'When they start using the term 'medically tailored' without specific standards and definitions, it really does dilute the entire movement,' says Jean Terranova, senior director of policy and research at Community Servings, a FIMC-accredited agency that delivers MTMs in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Plus, the scientific community still needs more research to understand when these meals make a true difference in people's health. (There's not yet a federally recognized nutrition standard for 'medically tailored.') And certain meal providers have already been called out for delivering pricey, processed junk. DR. BERKOWITZ SUSPECTS that many start-ups are responding to the genuine need for more meal providers across all states. But the most solid data on MTMs is based on grassroots organizations that have built their practices over many years with feedback from their local communities. FIMC agencies pioneered the blueprint for MTMs nearly 40 years ago as a response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. Replicating their wins is a tall order in a fast-paced, tech-driven landscape. Case in point: A report from STAT News, which found that Homestyle Direct—an Idaho-based company that recently rebranded itself as an MTM service—actually shipped subscribers not-so-healthy frozen meals. One 'diabetes-friendly' option included a Jimmy Dean sausage breakfast sandwich that packed nearly 1,000 milligrams of sodium. Yet the company has the potential to make millions, in part by billing taxpayer-funded Medicaid programs. 'That's exactly what you don't want to see,' Terranova says. The STAT News report also scrutinized other meal-delivery companies that bill Medicaid, including Mom's Meals, for its pureed cheeseburgers (yum?) and oatmeal cream pie, and Magic Kitchen, for its biscuits and gravy. FIMC published its first public-facing MTM requirements in 2024. The 32-page document is their 'commitment to excellence,' Wassung says. It outlines best practices for integrating full-time dietitians, assessing clients' needs, and meal preparation. Accredited agencies, a designation that's currently only offered to nonprofits, should meet the following criteria. They should not serve or deliver 'ultra-processed' foods or dishes that contain artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, or preservatives. They should prioritize using 'as many fresh ingredients as possible' and offer them ways of baking, braising, and sauteing rather than frying. The food should arrive fresh and lend itself to freezing or reheating. It needs to taste good, too. (Yes, they actually conduct taste tests.) 'We've invested significantly in research,' Terranova says. So if newer companies aren't striving for the standards that led to the impressive results in that research, 'we're afraid that could reverse the trajectory of the policy wins,' she explains. That concern has only grown as the federal government zeroes in on 'efficient' spending. 'We're seeing potential cuts to Medicaid,' Terranova says. 'We want to make sure we're not straying from interventions that work.' So, it's a tricky situation. Profit-driven companies can make, market, and price their meals however they'd like. For those that have the option to bill Medicaid, what constitutes a 'medically tailored meal' varies by state, some of which have shockingly loose requirements. And it raises worthwhile questions about oversight. 'True, fair competition can be a good thing in many cases,' says behavioral scientist Justin B. Moore, PhD, a professor of public health sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine who has researched MTMs. 'But I do think [the competition is] muddying the water.' NO START-UP HAS perfected MTMs, but some have shown a decent effort. Take Epicured, a New York-based company that specializes in low-FODMAP meals, which are sometimes better tolerated by people with digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Crohn's. The plan involves nixing dairy, wheat, legumes, and certain fruits and vegetables, so it can be tough to follow. Epicured announced a partnership with Mount Sinai in 2019, propped by a large financial investment from the health system. Laura Manning, MPH, RD, clinical nutrition manager at Mount Sinai Hospital, is one of the dietitians who works with Epicured to develop the criteria for its 'therapeutic' menu items, which include pad Thai, chicken bacon lasagna, and lamb ragu pasta. She says patients who have benefited the most are actually in their 20s and 30s—they're working crazy hours and 'too busy to figure out how to cook all this stuff.' When a patient with GI issues is referred to Manning for a low-FODMAP diet, she'll sit down with them for an hour to learn about their current diet and lifestyle. She'll ask questions like, 'How do you prepare your meals? What does that look like in a day? Do you enjoy cooking?' She wants to give them helpful information about how their diet could mess with their gut, but also an actual plan—when it makes sense, she'll recommend starting with Epicured. You don't need to sit down with a dietitian to buy Epicured's meals, though the company and the experts we spoke with highly encourage that step. You can just go to its website, select what looks good, and hit 'checkout'—final price pending on insurance. The company says the meals arrive freshly prepared, chilled, and ready to eat or heat. (Worth noting: Epicured only offers the elimination phase of a low-FODMAP program. It's in the final stages of creating meals for the reintroduction and personalization phases—not something you can truly pull off without the guidance of a clinician.) Others operate similarly: Performance Kitchen and ModifyHealth, for example, partner with various health insurance providers that may include dietitian support, but also allow you to peruse their menus and purchase meals yourself. You'll find diabetes-focused, heart-healthy, kidney-friendly, GLP-1-support, and low-FODMAP options—plus a bunch geared toward overall wellness, like vegetarian and Mediterranean dishes. UNFORTUNATELY, ALL THESE complexities means that the burden falls on you to figure out what's legit, says Abby Langer, RD, a Men's Health nutrition advisor and the owner of Abby Langer Nutrition. She thinks it's a little shady that so many of these companies don't directly name who they partner with to make their meals—or spell out the nutrition requirements they abide by. Which brings us back to the question of quality. Some companies seem to stack up on the nutrition front, while others serve up calorically dense options not unlike the ultra-processed foods that the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement is cracking down on. Some ship frozen meals while others deliver them fresh. Some require a meeting with a dietitian or a referral from a clinician, while others let you 'add to cart' instantly. Some give off mystery meat vibes while others look impressively gourmet. Most of them are expensive, hovering around $10 to $20 a plate, not including shipping costs. (It goes even higher. At Epicured, sea bass, broccoli, and potatoes will run you $32 with delivery fees.) 'If you've got the means or insurance, awesome. But most people don't have the means or the insurance, which implies that health disparities will increase,' Moore says. 'If only people with money can get these things and people without money cannot, the gap between them will increase. From an ethical standpoint, it's terrible.' And then there are questions about end game. 'Consider the long-term viability of these programs,' Langer says. 'Are you going to order meals forever? Are you learning what kind of meals are appropriate so you can eventually make them yourself?' Moore agrees: 'It doesn't get at behavior change, at motivations.' However, Manning thinks of the service as a stepping stone for her patients. 'If they see it in front of them, prepared in a way they haven't thought of before, it can inspire them to continue to eat this way,' she says. They probably won't lean on Epicured meals forever—once they get through the elimination phase of the low-FODMAP plan, she helps them slowly reintroduce specific foods to pinpoint their GI triggers. Eventually, instead of ordering three meals a day, for example, they may order a few per week, or whatever fits their lifestyle. Ultimately, it's too soon to tell how this all shakes out. 'I don't think it will be the case that no start-ups can do this. Of course, I think some can learn,' Dr. Berkowitz says. 'On the other hand, there could be some learning curves over the next five to 10 years as more try to get involved, scale it, and bring these interventions to more people.' We'll leave you with this: If you have insurance (or the financial means) and want to try a medically tailored meal service, it may be worth a shot—but only if it's transparent about who's designing and cooking the meals, the nutrition specs of each dish, and how it upholds quality. Otherwise, you risk opening up your diet to something you shouldn't have to consume anymore of: B.S. You Might Also Like The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Is 'Food Is Medicine' the Future of Better Health?
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." DURING THE LAST several years, 'food is medicine' has become a buzzy phrase among hospitals, researchers, and social media influencers alike. The promise of the food is medicine movement is huge: If more people got their hands on fresh food—by way of at-home 'medically tailored meal' services, 'farmacy' produce prescriptions or food banks, and better grocery options overall—than we might be able to drastically reduce the leading causes of death. After all, poor diet is cited as the No. 1 contributor to 45 percent of U.S. cardiometabolic deaths and 36 percent of global coronary deaths, not to mention 70 percent of new diabetes cases worldwide. The movement carries political clout, too. Under the Biden Administration, research funding flew into food is medicine initiatives with the goal of improving the American diet by way of more fresh foods. Under the current Trump Administration, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has used 'food is medicine' as a rallying cry to purge the food industry of toxins and encourage more people to eat whole foods for better health. Meanwhile The Rockefeller Foundation, American Heart Association, and other organizations have poured hundreds of millions into additional research to study if large-scale healthy food programs can help prevent and treat disease. But, really, what does 'food is medicine' even mean? Much like the word 'healthy,' the phrase doesn't yet have a widely agreed upon definition. There are a ton of different players rushing to put their spin on the phrase—from researchers to meal delivery companies to grocery stores. But if 'food is medicine' means everything... does it mean anything? We decided to find out. Here's our review of where the science on diet and disease actually stands–from an interview with a charge-leading researcher, to a report on the wild world of medically tailored meal startups. This is what "food is medicine" means right now. And what it could mean for NowShop NowShop Now You Might Also Like The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Can Your Diet Actually Treat Chronic Disease? It Depends on a Few Key Factors.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." NEARLY 2,500 YEARS ago, Hippocrates proclaimed that 'food is medicine.' Or something like that. Not only is it debatable that Hippocrates uttered the phrase at all, the idea of food being a cure-all for disease is now a thing again. In fact, there's a whole 'food is medicine" movement currently taking shape in the U.S. and around the world, one that's fueled both by concentrated university-backed research entities and the social-political MAHA phenomenon. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has used the phrase as a rallying cry to make changes to SNAP, alter school lunch programs, and eliminate artificial ingredients from packaged foods—all efforts to target chronic disease. At the same time, doctors and researchers believe that food is medicine can prevent—and even treat—diseases by way of expanding access to more healthful foods. That might mean supplying people with medically tailored meals or groceries, paid for or subsidized by their insurance. Or that could be doctors giving their patients prescriptions for fresh fruits and vegetables. Or implementing education programs around the importance of a healthful diet. All these ideas considered, food as medicine shouldn't compete with actual medicine, says Leslie Bonci, RD, a registered dietitian in Pittsburgh, PA. They should complement each other: 'The two don't live in silos,' she says. 'We can be proactive with food, but medication is essential.' In other words, eating a healthy diet is certainly good for you—but it can only take you so far. Here's what the research says about what food can (and can't) help with. WHILE EMERGING RESEARCH shows the promise of Food Is Medicine programs on heart health, there aren't yet solid standards for dose, duration, or frequency, a 2025 review by the American Heart Association found. That said, prior science has shown that what you eat plays a big role when it comes to preventing heart disease. Some research shows that people who eat certain diets—regardless of whether it's a low-carb or a low-fat one—tend to have better heart health than those who eat unhealthier diets. Even if you already have heart disease, eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish, can help prevent a heart attack or stroke. The Mediterranean Diet and DASH diets—which prioritize healthy foods rather than limiting macros—are associated with lower risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease by up to 30 percent. Fruits and vegetables, especially, play a large part in helping people lower their blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, which can help prevent deaths from heart disease, says Bonci. That's not to say you'll never need medication for high blood pressure or cholesterol, but you can do a lot to protect your heart by eating a healthy diet. THE RESEARCH ON Food Is Medicine and type 2 diabetes is, so far, mixed. One study found that people with type 2 diabetes who did a Food Is Medicine program for a year, didn't see a blood sugar benefit. Yet other studies have reported that medically tailored meals helped those with diabetes lower their A1C, eat more produce, and report feelings of better health six months after receiving the meals. With diet in general, it's certainly true that eating an unhealthy diet can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes by roughly 30 percent, according to some research. The American Diabetes Association states that type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition even if you're exercising regularly and watching what you eat. That also tracks with what the research has found. Namely, that sometimes it's possible to delay a diabetes diagnosis—but sometimes not. For example, according to a 2024 study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, people with a high genetic risk of type 2 diabetes who exercised regularly and ate a healthier diet (more fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and fiber) were 70 percent less likely to develop the condition three years later. But those with a lower genetic risk didn't see the same benefits. And once someone has type 2 diabetes, food is likely only part of the solution. Eating a healthy diet might help someone keep their A1C levels down, but in other cases, it may not. One 2023 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people with type 2 diabetes who participated in a food-as-medicine program, which provided healthy groceries for 10 meals per week for one year, didn't see an improvement in their blood sugar levels. It's still in your best interest to eat healthy whether you have type 2 diabetes—or don't want to develop it. After all, preventing type 2 diabetes for just four years can help you live longer overall, according to a 2024 study. And if you have type 2 diabetes now and stick to a healthy diet, research shows that you'll live longer, too. WE DON'T KNOW yet—but several Food Is Medicine studies are in the works. There's precedence though: Research shows that eating more of certain food groups (read: not any one food in particular) can help prevent some cancers from developing. Eating more fruits and vegetables has been shown to protect against colorectal, breast, and lung cancers, possibly because they contain nutrients like vitamins C and E that prevent cancer from forming in certain cells, according to a review in the journal Nutrients. Likewise, eating more fish may help ward off colorectal cancer, possibly because omega-3s can help lower inflammation in the body. In people who already have cancer, though, food may not make much of a difference. One review from July 2024 concluded that there's no strong evidence to show that any particular diet—such as keto, or diets that claim to starve the cancer cells of sugar—can slow down the progression of cancer or reduce the risk of recurrence. Although there is some evidence that a healthy diet can help some cancer survivors live a little longer. THERE'S SCIENTIFIC that Food Is Medicine programs may help reduce obesity, but more research is needed. That's partially because obesity is so complex. If there's one thing we've learned in the past decade or so, it's that obesity is way more than calories in, calories out. Newer research shows that obesity is driven not only by diet, but by genetics, lower physical activity levels, sleep patterns, stress, race, our environment, plus tons of other factors. Once you gain weight, it can be pretty difficult to shed it for good. Obviously, it's not impossible—and these guys are proof—but one particularly famous study conducted in The Biggest Loser contestants found that most of them gained back much of the weight they lost on the show. That's because when a person loses weight, their metabolism slows. In fact, the researchers found that after six years, The Biggest Loser contestants had resting metabolic rates of about 500 calories lower than someone at the same weight— meaning, they'd have to eat 500 fewer calories a day than the next guy in order to maintain their waistline. Due to the introduction of GLP-1s like Wegovy—which helps lower appetite levels by quieting the food noise—people may be more likely to see obesity as a treatable (and complex) disease. But that's not to say medication alone is the answer. New research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition pointed out that people who use GLP-1s can run the risk of nutrient deficiencies as well as muscle and bone density loss, which means that your food choices are still as important as ever. RESEARCHERS SEE for Food Is Medicine programs to support better mental health, and some preliminary studies have found a connection between some programs and self-reported feelings of less anxiety and depression, but (you guessed it) we need more research. What we already know is that science has consistently found that eating more inflammatory foods—candy, soda, margarine, red meat, you know the drill—is linked to higher symptoms of depression. What's more, not eating unhealthy food can help boost your mood: Research published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found that people who lowered their intake of junk food and replaced it with healthier stuff saw a reduction in depressive symptoms, even if they didn't have a formal diagnosis. (The study didn't show a benefit to anxiety symptoms, though.) Plus, among people who do have depression, those who eat more whole grains and vegetables tend to have less severe symptoms than people who don't eat healthy, according to a 2023 study. So can you beat depression by shelving your snacking habit? Probably not, but you'll likely feel a little better. ADMITTEDLY, THE RESEARCH into what's being called the Planetary Health Diet is relatively new, but one study published in 2024 found that healthier diets resulted in 29 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, 21 percent less fertilizer, and 13 percent fewer irrigation water. So while it's probably a little too early to tell whether cutting trans fats and added sugar from our diet will save the planet, it can certainly help us live longer—and healthier—in the meantime. And isn't that a good enough reason? You Might Also Like The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein
Fox News
6 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
'Food is medicine' movement may be key to reversing health decline: Here's what to eat
As the health of Americans continues to decline, researchers at the University of Florida are urging a national rethink about fruits and vegetables. Their message is that it's time to treat produce not just as food but as medicine. In a recent article published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers endorse the "food is medicine" movement, arguing fruits and vegetables play a crucial role in preventing chronic diseases and improving public health. Yet only one in 10 adults in the U.S. consumes the recommended daily servings – a shortfall researchers claim is fueling the crisis. The article warns that current U.S. agricultural output is insufficient to support a healthy population. To address this gap, the authors advocate for a substantial increase in fruit and vegetable production, with a focus on nutrient-dense produce such as berries, leafy greens and carrots. Danielle Treadwell, an associate professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida, spoke to Fox News Digital about her involvement in the study. "In the U.S., we have a healthcare crisis, due in large part to dietary choices," she said. Treadwell defined horticulture as "the art and science of fruit production and vegetable production" — integral to expanding the quantity and quality of produce in the U.S. "Where are all those fruits and vegetables going to come from?" Treadwell said. "Because currently, the United States is only able to produce 50% of what we anticipate we would need if every adult in the U.S. were to follow the dietary advice of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day." She added, "That is not enough." Treadwell cited common barriers to eating more produce, including the time required to prepare them and limited access — especially in underserved areas. "Here in Florida, we grow fruits and vegetables nine months out of the year [and] many of us have citrus trees in our yard," the horticulturist said. "However, that's not true in other parts of the country." Treadwell also observed that many Americans work "very long hours, sometimes multiple jobs." She added, "All of these things can come together and really [have] an impact on how many servings a day [of produce that] the average adult can take in." "Frozen vegetables, by and large, retain 100% of their nutritional content that they had when they left the field." Treadwell's main advice is to choose what you eat wisely and to start out small. "Remember that a serving is half a cup … so maybe, eat a whole cup at a time," she suggested. "It certainly doesn't necessarily have to be fresh. Frozen vegetables, by and large, retain 100% of their nutritional content that they had when they left the field." So if food can be medicine, which specific fruits and vegetables target certain ailments? Dr. William W. Li, author of the book "Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself," shared some examples with Fox News Digital. He cited pears and strawberries as two fruits that can target specific medical conditions. "Pears contain polyphenols like quercetin and chlorogenic acid that can reduce blood pressure, shrink body fat, improve energy balance and reverse metabolic syndrome," Li said. Strawberries, on the other hand, contain "polyphenols such as ellagic acid and anthocyanins that can decrease insulin resistance in obese persons to improve metabolism." Pears and strawberries are two fruits that can target specific medical conditions. For those with a high amount of "bad" LDL cholesterol and stubborn abdominal fat, the doctor suggested the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in avocados. Blueberries can also help "reduce body weight, increase insulin sensitivity, shrink visceral fat and improve metabolism," Li said. Yaa Boakye, a dietitian based in Illinois, echoed the notion of the healing powers of fruits and vegetables. "Physiological shifts happen when fruits and vegetables become a daily, consistent part of your life," Boakye told Fox News Digital. "Not once a week. Not a once-a-month juice cleanse, but consistency." "Fruits and vegetables must be a non-negotiable part of our daily diet." She also said that diet is one of many factors in a person's health and encouraged Americans to be well-balanced in their approaches to health. "Stress, sleep, trauma, environment, medications, access — they all matter, too," Boakye said. "If nutrition is your shield, then movement, sleep and emotional regulation are your armor, reinforcements and escape routes." Boakye said Americans should make eating produce a habit. "We are what we repeatedly do," Boakye said. "Eating fruits and vegetables can't be an afterthought or a luxury. They must be a non-negotiable part of our daily diet."
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Kennedy touts ultra-processed meals he once called ‘poison'
Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr promoted a company whose meals contain ultra-processed ingredients – which he has repeatedly railed against – on his 'Make America healthy again' tour. Kennedy appeared at an enormous food plant in Oklahoma for a company called Mom's Meals, which makes 1.5m 'medically tailored' meals each week and ships them all over the country. Companies including Mom's Meals have been criticized for hijacking the 'food is medicine' movement by providing 'salty, fat-laden' meals to the ill and elderly, paid for by health insurance companies. 'This is really one of the solutions for making our country healthy again,' Kennedy said in a video posted to the his social media account. Kennedy visited Mom's Meals to celebrate Republican Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt's Food Is Medicine Act, which allows the state's Medicaid program to purchase such meals. Nutritionists told the Guardian that the company's menus contain ultra-processed ingredients and could be healthier. The Associated Press first reported nutritionists' concerns with Kennedy's promotion of the company. 'We can do better and there are lots of meal programs that do better, and they don't have any of those kinds of ingredients in there,' said Marion Nestle, emerita professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, told the Guardian. 'It's the texturizers and even the natural colors. It's got all this stuff in it that food companies put into foods to make up for the fact the ingredients aren't fresh.' Walter Willett, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard's TH Chan School of Public Health, gave the meals a 'C' grade in comments via email. Willet, who is generally skeptical of the utility of the ultra-processed label, said: 'These meals could be ultra-processed but be much healthier.' A disclaimer on the Mom's Meals website pushed back against the ultra-processed label: 'Mom's Meals does not currently produce any meals containing ingredients commonly found in ultra-processed foods,' the prominent banner read. 'This means no: synthetic food dyes, added MSG, high fructose corn syrup, non-nutritive sweeteners (e.g., sucralose), partially hydrogenated oils or added trans fats, synthetic preservatives banned in EU.' A spokesperson for the company who spoke to the AP echoed this argument. Ultra-processed foods generally include ingredients you wouldn't use in your home kitchen – such as stabilizers, gums and anti-sticking agents to name a couple in Mom's Meals' cheese tortellini meal. It also includes cooking processes you wouldn't use at home, such as molding and extrusion. There is a growing body of evidence that shows ultra-processed foods encourage people to eat more calories and are linked to obesity and diabetes. A recent study found these foods account for more than half of all the calories Americans eat. Food researchers are still studying exactly why ultra-processed foods prompt people to eat more. The phrase 'ultra-processed' has come into wide usage since Kennedy began painting it as the boogeyman of the US food system, criticizing the industrialized processes as 'poisoning the American people' in his confirmation hearing. His agency is also planning a 'bold, edgy' public relations campaign to warn Americans about the dangers of such foods. 'Why he would pick on these meals as being the solution to America's food problems – I have no idea,' said Nestle. 'But ones that are made with better ingredients and don't have all the junk in them would cost more, and they'd probably have to be shipped frozen.' Notably, the state act comes after Republicans and Donald Trump signed a mega bill to cut $1tn out of Medicaid and $186bn from government food supports, colloquially known as 'food stamps', over the next decade. Medicaid is a public health insurance program that covers 71 million low-income, disabled and elderly Americans. This is not the first time Kennedy has made a controversial choice of companies to promote. In March, he visited Steak 'n Shake, a burger and fries restaurant, where he praised the company's use of beef tallow in fryers and made inflammatory statements about vaccines.
