A new scientific method now makes it possible to detect your intake of ultra-processed food through blood and urine.
No memory, no guesswork — just a raw, honest look at your eating habits. Here are 10 key takeaways from this groundbreaking study.
Your Body Tells the Truth About Your Diet
Researchers have developed a biomarker-based test that can identify how much ultra-processed food (UPF) you consume — just by analyzing your blood and urine.
Food Diaries Are No Longer Enough
Traditional diet surveys rely on memory, but this new method offers a far more accurate and objective snapshot of what you’ve actually eaten.
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Over 400 Molecules Reveal What You Eat
The study identified more than 400 compounds in blood and urine that shift depending on how much UPF a person consumes.
A Score That Measures Your UPF Level
The new “poly-metabolite scores” act like a nutritional fingerprint, measuring the degree of UPF intake directly through biological samples.
The Worst Offenders Come From Packaging
Many of the detected substances didn’t just come from the food itself — but from additives and chemicals leaching in from plastic packaging.
Your Fruit and Veg Intake Shows Too
People who ate more ultra-processed food had lower levels of compounds linked to fruits and vegetables — meaning your body reveals what you’re missing, too.
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Some Molecules Are Linked to Disease
One key compound, N6-carboxymethyllysine, rose significantly in people with high UPF diets. It’s also associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The Test Works in Real-Life Settings
When tested in a controlled diet trial, the method reliably distinguished between participants eating 80% UPF and those eating none at all.
It’s Not Just About What’s Bad
The biological changes reflect not only the unhealthy additions in UPF — but also the absence of crucial nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
A Tool That Could Change Public Health
This technology could revolutionize nutrition science, allowing for earlier detection of harmful eating patterns — and smarter, more personalized health advice.
Also read: Why Pork Could Be the Key to Healthy Aging – New Study Reveals
This article is based on information from News Medical