Ultra-processed foods — industrial formulations distinguished by the NOVA classification system not by their nutrient content but by their degree of processing and additive composition — have been associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality in large cohort studies across multiple countries, and an NIH randomized controlled trial demonstrated that they drive approximately 500 calories per day of excess consumption beyond what nutrient-matched minimally processed diets produce. The mechanisms include palatability engineering that disrupts normal satiety signaling, rapid consumption that outpaces satiety hormone response, and gut microbiome disruption from emulsifiers and artificial additives. The practical implication is a directional shift toward minimally processed foods rather than a specific dietary prescription — and an honest engagement with a food environment that has been engineered to make the less healthy choice the default one.