Processed foods are having a cultural moment, and the way they're discussed online is so extreme that it's hard to know what to trust without feeling stressed or guilty.

In this episode, I'm talking about why the fear-based language around ultra-processed foods is such a red flag, and why I don't trust conversations that rely on absolutist claims meant to scare you into compliance (or sell you something).

I also get into what's missing from most of the discourse: systems. Time, money, energy, access, chronic illness, and the realities of modern life matter, yet wellness culture keeps collapsing this into "personal responsibility," as if everyone has the capacity to live like it's their full-time job.

I share how ultra-processed foods fit into my own all-in recovery and why I stand by that choice, while still being willing to talk about nutrition without turning food into morality.

And I spend a big chunk of this episode on the psychology piece—because even when people are arguing about physiology, the psychological impact of restriction, scarcity, and moralizing food often creates the exact chaos they claim they're trying to prevent, especially when these foods are everywhere (and especially with kids).

If you've been feeling spun up by UPF headlines or wellness content, this is meant to bring you back to a grounded, common-sense view that includes both physiology and psychology. Subscribe for more on binge/restrict recovery, body image, food anxiety, and nervous-system-informed approaches to eating.

RESOURCES:

Binge Eating to Intuitive Eating Self-Study Course

Read my Substack essays

Read my short-form content on Instagram