A new study shows that highly processed foods are linked to a higher risk of death. Nutritionists say they still fit into a healthy diet.

You already know that highly processed foods are bad for you, but in case you needed more proof, new research suggests that eating large amounts of these foods—especially highly processed meats like hot dogs and sausages, as well as sodas—may shorten your lifespan.

This is the main finding of a new study of more than 540,000 people aged between 50 and 71 who provided information about their eating habits and health in the mid-1990s and were then followed for more than two decades.

For the study, presented at the Nutrition 2024 conference, researchers looked at death rates among participants, more than half of whom have died since the study began. They found that those who ate larger amounts of ultra-processed foods had about a 10% higher risk of dying from any cause, including heart disease and diabetes, over 23 years than those who ate minimally processed foods, which are foods in their natural state or barely altered, such as fresh fruits, vegetables or milk. (It’s worth noting that study participants who ate ultra-processed foods were no more likely to die from cancer.)

Study participants who ate more highly processed foods also tended to have a higher body mass index and poorer overall diet. However, even among people of normal weight, the association between eating these foods and a higher risk of death was still present.

But before you give up ultra-processed foods forever, you should know that another new study presented at the conference shows that eating mostly minimally processed foods doesn’t automatically mean someone is eating a healthy diet. In addition, these foods spoil more than three times faster than ultra-processed foods and are more than twice as expensive.

The study author also noted that not all ultra-processed foods are bad. Some are nutrient-dense, such as ultra-filtered milk, liquid egg whites, unsweetened applesauce, and certain brands of canned tomatoes. What did the researchers conclude? The type of food we eat may be more important than the level of processing used to produce it.

What else do you need to know about ultra-processed foods and your health? Here are some nutritionists’ thoughts on it.

What is considered highly processed food?

Ultra-processed foods “are the furthest removed from their original state,” Christy Brissette, a nutritionist and owner of 80 Twenty Nutrition in Laguna Beach, Calif., tells Yahoo Life. “They’ve gone through multiple processing steps and usually have more than five other ingredients added to them, including preservatives and stabilizers.”

Many packaged foods fall into this category, including ready-to-heat pasta and pizza, instant noodles and soups, processed meats (such as sausage, hot dogs, sausages and nuggets), packaged snacks, candy, pastries and potato chips, and sodas and energy drinks. “But there are different levels of food processing,” says Brissette.

Jessica Cording, nutritionist and author of The Little Book of Game Changers: 50 Healthy Habits to Manage Stress and Anxietysays many foods are processed to some degree. Packaged spinach, for example, is technically processed. “But there’s a difference between ultra-processed and minimally processed foods,” Cording tells Yahoo Life.

Why are highly processed foods bad for you?

There are a few reasons why some highly processed foods are not good for your health. “Highly processed foods are often high in sodium, sugar and fat,” says Brissette. “They often contain fewer of the nutrients we need, like fiber and vitamins, unless they are added to the product.”

People who eat a lot of highly processed foods tend not to get enough of what they need in other foods “and may have too many ingredients that have been linked to health concerns,” Cording says.

Studies have repeatedly found a link between highly processed foods and serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and dementia.

So how should you eat? Here’s what nutritionists recommend

Brissette points out that it’s “almost impossible” to eliminate all processed foods from the diet. “Some processed foods make it easier for people to eat healthy, and we don’t want to change that,” she says. “For example, you might not have the time to soak and cook beans, but you can open a can and rinse it. You’re getting plant-based protein and fiber in your meals, and I wouldn’t change that just because I’m worried about processing.”

Cording recommends following the 85/15 diet for a healthy diet, which involves eating healthy foods 85 percent of the time and allowing yourself more flexibility for the remaining 15 percent. “Ideally, you want to eat nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, but there’s room for processed foods, too,” she says.

She recommends thinking of highly processed foods as “special occasion foods,” meaning you eat them here and there, but they don’t make up the majority of your diet. “From a mental perspective, that works better for a lot of people,” she says. “Demonizing foods and saying you can’t eat highly processed things at all tends to cause more problems.”

If you’re not sure whether a processed food is healthy or unhealthy, Brissette recommends asking yourself how close it is to its original version. “Packaged or frozen cauliflower with nothing added? Pretty close. Cauliflower crackers? Not really,” she says.

When buying prepared foods, Brissette recommends checking the ingredient list and choosing products that have minimal added salt, sugar, or artificial sweeteners and hydrogenated oils. Opt for foods with minimal added sugar and less than 20% daily sodium, she advises.

Ultimately, Cording says, “It’s OK to have some processed foods in your diet. You just want to limit your consumption of highly processed foods.”