Intro

Ultraprocessed foods are everywhere — and a lot of them are making us sick! These industrially processed foods are being linked to 32 different diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and depression. 

But UFPs make up more than HALF the foods we eat. More when it comes to the diets of children and young people. And it's no wonder — even foods marketed as "healthy" choices fall into this category. 

So how do you know what's safe, and what's making you sick? Are all of them unhealthy?

Dr. Neal Barnard is here to guide us. He joins Chuck to explain how this one category of food is quietly fueling a public health crisis — and how you can protect yourself.

You’ll learn: What qualifies as an ultraprocessed food — and why it matters– The difference between a healthy and unhealthy processed food– How these foods are designed to be addictive and override your hunger cues– What the latest research says about chronic disease risk– Simple, affordable swaps to cut ultraprocessed foods from your diet

Whether you're trying to lose weight, prevent disease, or eat more mindfully, this episode gives you the tools to take control of your health — starting with what’s on your plate.

This episode is sponsored by The Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund, which supports organizations like the Physicians Committee that carry on Greg’s passion and love for animals through rescue efforts, veganism, and wildlife conservation.

— — SHOW LINKS — —

JAMA Processed Food Study

https://bit.ly/UPFsHealthStudy

— — —

Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund

https://gregoryreiterfund.org

— — EVENTS — —

NHA Conference

Where: Cleveland, OH

When: June 26-29, 2025

Tix & Speakers: https://bit.ly/NHAtix2025

20% off virtual tickets with code: PCRM20

$100 off in-person tickets with code: PCRM100

— — —

International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine

Where: Washington, DC

When: August 14-16, 2025

Tix & Speakers: https://www.pcrm.org/icnm

$50 off tickets with code: NUTRITION50

— — BECOME AN EXAM ROOM VIP — —

Sign up: https://www.pcrm.org/examroomvip

— — THIS IS US — —

The Exam Room Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexamroompodcast

— — —

Chuck Carroll

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ChuckCarrollWLC

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChuckCarrollWLC

X: https://www.twitter.com/ChuckCarrollWLC

— — —

Physicians Committee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/physicianscommittee

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PCRM.org

X: https://www.twitter.com/pcrm

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PCRM

Jobs: https://www.pcrm.org/careers

— — SUBSCRIBE & SHARE — —

5-Star Success: Share Your Story

Apple: https://apple.co/2JXBkpy​​

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2pMLoY3

Please subscribe and give the show a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or many other podcast providers. Don’t forget to share it with a friend for inspiration!