Tufts University Jun 4 2026 Concerns about the health effects of ultra-processed foods are growing, as studies increasingly link them to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and even early death. But scientists are still debating what's driving those risks: the nutritional quality of these foods-which are often high in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars-or the industrial processing and additives used to make them.  A new study from researchers at the Food is Medicine Institute at