Preliminary research on ultra-processed foods sheds new light on the much-debated products. A randomized controlled trial finds new evidence that texture-derived meal differences — such as mashed versus fried potatoes — influence energy intake from ultra-processed foods. Over 14 days, participants consuming an ultra-processed food diet with textures that reduced their eating rate, like meatballs, had an average energy intake reduction of 369 kcal daily compared to a group eating foods with textures that promoted a faster eating rate, such as sugar-sweetened yogurt. The researchers measured the eating rate in grams per minute.
