Are ultra-processed foods linked with poor health outcomes because they are processed, or because they tend to have unhealthy ingredients like salt and sugar? New research suggests the latter. In this study, scientists reviewed randomized controlled trials (the gold standard of establishing cause and effect in nutrition) that compared people eating diets with lots of ultra-processed foods to diets with minimally processed foods. This study suggests that the unfavorable effects of ultra-processed foods “are highly likely to be due to differences in traditional nutritional properties that frequently—but not uniformly—co-occur in UPFs.” The authors conclude that dietary guidance “should distinguish nutritionally poor, calorie-dense, and rapidly consumed foods regardless of their degree of processing” given that ultra-processed foods include “foods that are not necessarily harmful and even some that are beneficial to health” such as whole grain breads.
Science. 2026 Jun 4;392(6802):1020-1022. doi: 10.1126/science.aef3495. Epub 2026 Jun 4. (Magkos F et al.)
While no single food can check all of your nutritional boxes, research helps us assign value to the amount of risk a particular food group (or lack thereof) in the diet may have on various diseases. In a study analyzing data from 204 countries worldwide, researchers found that poor nutrition was linked with 4 million ischemic heart disease deaths in 2023 alone. When digging into specific dietary factors, low intake whole grains was the second-leading dietary factor for ischemic heart disease deaths, coming in just behind low intake of nuts and seeds.
Nat Med. 2026 Apr;32(4):1454-1478. doi: 10.1038/s41591-026-04250-8. Epub 2026 Mar 30. (GBD 2023 IHD et al.)
Childhood is a critical window to help nurture a lifelong love of healthy foods like whole grains. In this study, researchers surveyed children ages 10-19 about their opinions and preferences related to whole grain foods. Based on their responses, the researchers conclude that “improving taste, increasing exposure, and leveraging institutional settings such as schools, where availability, preparation, and social cues can be managed, may be effective in promoting whole-grain food consumption.”
Nutrients. 2026 Mar 12;18(6):896. doi: 10.3390/nu18060896. (Čad EM et al.)
Nutrition, exercise and sleep are often studied in isolation. In this study, researchers followed 59,078 adults for 8 years to see just how small lifestyle changes can be to have a measurable impact on lifespan and health span. Compared with people in the bottom 5 percent of healthy lifestyles, getting just five more minutes of sleep, two more minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise, and eating an additional half-serving of vegetables was linked with one additional year of lifespan. Further, getting 24 more minutes of sleep, four more minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise, and improving nutrition (by increasing dietary quality score by 23 points out of 100) was linked with an additional four years free of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and dementia.
EClincal Medicine. 2026 Feb;92(103741). Doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103741. (Koemel MA et al.)
Is a low-fat diet better for your heart than a low-carb diet? Science suggests that this false choice distracts us from a more important diet pattern to watch for. Researchers analyzed the diets of nearly 200,000 adults for more than two decades to see how low-fat and low-carb diets relate to coronary heart disease risk. Consistent with previous research, both low-fat and low-carb diets were linked with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (13 percent and 15 percent lower risk, respectively) if they were healthy versions of these diets. However, both low-fat and low-carb diets were linked with a higher risk of coronary heart disease (12 percent higher risk and 14 percent higher risk, respectively) if they were unhealthy versions of these diets. In other words, improving overall diet quality is far more impactful than restricting carbs or fats.
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2026 Jan 30:S0735-1097(25)10569-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.12.038. Online ahead of print. (Wu Z et al.)
IHeadlines send confusing messages about saturated fat intake, so researchers put together a rigorous Cochrane method review of 17 studies (covering 66,337 participants) to see if modifying saturated fat intake has an effect on heart health. For people at high cardiovascular risk, the study found that reducing saturated fat (the type of fat in red meat, butter, coconut oil and beef tallow) is linked with lower mortality and major cardiovascular events, especially when the saturated fat is replaced with polyunsaturated fat (the type of fat found in nuts and fish).
Ann Intern Med. 2026 Feb;179(2):242-255. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-02229. Epub 2025 Dec 16. (Steen JP et al.)
A healthy diet like the Mediterranean diet is linked with a lower risk of other neurodegenerative diseases, so scientists wanted to see if this pattern applies to multiple sclerosis. Researchers followed 41,428 Swedish adults for 17 years to see how diet relates to risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Each one-point increase on the Mediterranean Diet Score (range: 0-9) was linked with a 14 percent lower risk of developing MS, with the link being strongest in nonsmokers and people under age 45.
Mult Scler. 2026 Jan;32(1):61-68. doi: 10.1177/13524585251396408. Epub 2025 Dec 15. (Ratti S et al.)
Moderate alcohol intake is a part of a traditional Mediterranean diet, yet many patients with liver disease are advised to avoid alcohol. In this review, researchers review the evidence on the Mediterranean diet, alcohol intake, and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (the most common type of liver disease) outcomes. They conclude that the Mediterranean diet is “the most important evidence-based dietary pattern associated with reduced metabolic and hepatic risks” and effectively lowers liver fat in patients with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.
Medicina (Kaunas). 2025 Oct 1;61(10):1777. doi: 10.3390/medicina61101777. (Barbería-Latasa M et al.)
New research builds on the large body of evidence linking Mediterranean diets with lower risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. A six-year study of 4746 adults aged 55 to 75 years in Spain with metabolic syndrome and overweight or obesity, without prior cardiovascular disease or diabetes was conducted to see whether following a low-calorie Mediterranean Diet with physical activity recommendations to achieve weight loss can be even more effective at preventing Type 2 Diabetes than following a Mediterranean Diet without reducing calories or increasing physical activity. Both groups participated in a combination of one-on-one and group visits and telephone contacts with the reduced-calorie group receiving a greater frequency of visits and contacts. The study concluded that an intensive behavioral education program focused on a Mediterranean Diet with caloric reduction, physical activity, and modest weight loss was even more effective than a less-intensive program recommending a Mediterranean Diet without calorie reduction in reducing diabetes incidence in people with overweight or obesity with metabolic syndrome.
Ann Intern Med. 2025 Aug 26. doi: 10.7326/ANNALS-25-00388. (Ruiz-Canela M et al.)
A traditional Mediterranean diet is filled with numerous anti-inflammatory foods that are known to nourish both the body and the brain. In a study of 131,209 adults aged 40-69 years, following a Mediterranean diet was linked with a 21 percent lower risk of dementia over the 13.5-year study period.
J Nutr Health Aging. 2025 Jul;29(7):100564. doi: 10.1016/j.jnha.2025.100564. Epub 2025 May 1. (You Ji-Eun et al.)
The Mediterranean diet is well known as brain-healthy, and researchers wanted to quantify its protective effect. In a meta-analysis of 23 studies, following a Mediterranean diet was linked with an 11-30 percent lower risk of age-related cognitive disorders (Alzheimer’s, dementia and cognitive impairment).
Geroscience. 2025 Jun;47(3):3111-3130. doi: 10.1007/s11357-024-01488-3. Epub 2025 Jan 11. (Fekete M et al.)
The healthiest fruits and vegetables are the ones that you’ll actually eat. In this study, researchers surveyed their local Latin American community to identify favored fruits, vegetables and staple foods to be used in a culturally tailored nutrition box. Researchers then measured the impact of receiving the culturally tailored nutrition boxes (which included avocado, watermelon, papaya, mango, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, spinach, rice, beans, onion, garlic, cilantro, tortillas and masa) on health outcomes. Participants receiving the boxes showed significant improvements in blood pressure and waist circumference over the 28-day study period.
BMC Nutr. 2025 May 16;11(1):97. doi: 10.1186/s40795-025-01089-z. (Crusan A et al.)
