In the war against ultra-processed foods, homemade meals have long enjoyed the moral and nutritional high ground. But a new study adds nuance to that narrative, suggesting that when recipes are matched and ingredients equalized, the health halo of “home-cooked” may not shine as brightly.
Ambiguous definitions and growing public concern fuel the debates over the health risks of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). The NOVA classification, widely adopted in academic and policy circles, defines UPFs not by nutrients but by how they’re made—particularly by the presence of industrially derived ingredients rarely used in home kitchens, such as preservatives, additives, or “technological adjuvants.” Another concern raised over UPFs is the creation of “undesirable compounds” generated when sugars are heated with proteins – the Maillard Reaction. Among the undesirables are a group of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and acrylamide, a potential carcinogen, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which forms when starches are exposed to high temperatures.
A new, easy-to-digest study in Current Research in Food Science will likely cause the UPF haters some indigestion over their assumptions and concerns. The researchers compared industrial preparations of tomato sauce, cereal bars, fish sticks, and plum cakes (I know, why plum cakes? It was an EU study) to identical homemade preparations. Here are the head-to-head comparisons.
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<li>Tomato sauce – comparing an Italian industrial ready-to-eat tomato sauce to homemade using the industry-made ingredients. There was no substantial (statistical) difference in the nutrients (calories, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, fiber, protein and salt) between industrial and homemade versions. A potentially harmful product of the Maillard reaction was found in both, with slightly more in the industrial version but at a level well below any concern. [1]</li>
<li>Cereal bars – the industrial version uses a low-moisture extruded oat and glucose syrup, while the home version uses flaked oats, honey, and agave syrup. Nutritionally identical, however, the industrial version, which used extruded oats created at higher temperatures, had significantly more of those potential concerning Maillard Reaction components. Alternatively, those “puffed” oats resulted in a less energy-dense product because they doubled the volume of the bar.</li>
<li>Fish sticks – industrial create crumbed frozen fish sticks vs. homemade fresh fish sticks that skip the pre-frying and freezing required in the industrial version. An oven-cooked homemade fish stick had the lowest fat content; when pan-fried at home, it was essentially the same as the industrial version, which also had slightly higher protein and salt content, although the differences were not statistically significant. Due to the cooking involved, industrial preparations that are far more controlled have significantly better moisture content and texture, as well as fewer worrisome acrylamides. Homemade fish sticks are not inherently healthier than their industrial counterparts; they may be lower in fat if oven-baked; however, they also develop more acrylamide due to higher moisture loss. This underscores the importance of cooking technique and ingredient structure over the processing origin alone.</li>
<li>Plum cake – an industrial version with 10% Greek yogurt, the homemade version using the industrial recipe excluding mono and diglycerides, dreaded emulsifiers, unnecessary in domestic preparations. Both versions were nutritionally equivalent; the industrial version was a bit less dense due to the use of emulsifiers. The density contributes to “mouthfeel” and is a more critical concern when marketing to a general population than to your family. Acrylamide was associated with the level of browning, not whether a product was made at home or in a factory.</li>
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<p>Nutritional comparisons aside, homemade meals often require more time, equipment, and skill—luxuries not equally available to all. For many, industrially prepared foods offer an essential balance of cost, convenience, and consistency.</p>
<p><strong>Challenging the MAHA Narrative </strong></p>
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“These findings indicate that homemade foods do not necessarily offer superior nutritional quality or lower levels of harmful compounds compared to industrial products.”
This is contrary to the narrative being promoted by the MAHA Commission and its recent report, “Making Our Children Healthy Again.” Focusing solely on the processing methodology, as the NOVA classification does, commits the usual nutritional sin of being too reductive – the processing method alone is not a reliable indicator of a food’s “healthfulness” or nutritional value.
“Despite concerns over industrial foods, these are not inherently harmful but are linked to adverse health outcomes primarily when consumed excessively, as part of an unbalanced diet.”
We Are Not Victims Food Choices Are Shared Responsibilities
While consumers ultimately make food choices, those decisions are shaped by a food environment that rewards shelf life, convenience, and profitability. Any path forward must include not only individual responsibility but also structural support—from education to industry incentives.
The work of Kevin Hall, now, unfortunately, formerly of the NIH, makes it clear that UPFs are calorie-dense and a diet based on them will cause you to gain weight. UPFs are designed to be standardized and delightful; they are sold in a highly competitive marketplace. However, they are not addictive, causing us to sell our blood to get a box of Froot Loops; we choose to buy them. Despite all the hand-wringing, we are not victims of Big Food; we are willing participants.
The Healthy Eating Index (HEI), a metric that assesses how well diets align with federal dietary guidelines developed by the USDA and HHS, scores the average American a disappointing 58 out of 100. Toddlers do slightly better at 63.
But these are failing scores. Much like the student who blames the dog for eating their homework, MAHA, among others, has focused on “the other” rather than taking a closer look in the mirror. The food ecosystem, from the need for enhanced shelf-life to pre-cooked and prepared, to subsidizing corn over vegetables, and special interests arguing that ketchup is a vegetable when it is a fruit and condiment, all of these things are what we or our representatives chose. We may not have made those choices with ill intent or in recognition of downstream effects, but we, the consumers, manufacturers, and government, made those choices.
“An educated consumer is our best customer.” – Sy Syms
If industrial and homemade foods can be nutritionally similar, then the fundamental determinant of health isn’t processing—it’s education, intention, and access. We need to empower people with food literacy, e.g., practical cooking skills and an understanding of how ingredient choice and technique affect health outcomes. Which path the MAHA Commission chooses, to “give us a fish, or to teach us how to fish,” remains unknown.
[1] 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) at a concentration in the industrial version of 2.34 μg/g. The EU benchmark for honey is 40 mg/kg
Source: Homemade Vs Industry-Made: Nutrient Composition And Content Of Potentially Harmful Compounds Of Different Food Products Current Research in Food Science DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100958
