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Here's What Happened When I Ate No Ultra-Processed Foods For A Week

Jamie Schneider
Author:
January 08, 2024
Jamie Schneider
Former Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
By Jamie Schneider
Former Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
Jamie Schneider is the former Senior Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.
women sitting at a table eating salad
Image by Ivan Gener / Stocksy
January 08, 2024
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What you consume shows up on your skin—full stop. The gut-skin connection is very real, with research showing that anything damaging to your gut microbiome1 (like refined sugar and inflammatory foods) also influences what's happening to the skin. 

As someone who wakes up with eyes basically swollen shut after a salt-heavy dinner and a few sugary cocktails, this is a fact I know all too well. So I decided to give my body a little reset the first week of January with a week of no ultra-processed foods. No prepackaged goodies, ready-made meals, or ingredients I just can't pronounce—here's how it went. 

Processed foods vs. ultra-processed foods 

Before diving into my experiment, let's define what "no processed foods" actually means. Essentially, they're foods that have been altered in some way before consumption—frozen, roasted, spiced, bagged, canned, etc. 

The amount of processing exists on a spectrum, ranging from simply prepared, minimally processed foods (think bagged spinach or frozen blueberries), to ready-to-eat processed foods (like deli meat), to ultra-processed foods (think chips, ice cream, and even some plant-based milks). 

And let me be clear: The processed food category as a whole is not the enemy. You can find plenty of quality packaged options these days with minimal additives, and some processed foods can be part of a healthy diet. It's the ultra-processed foods laden with artificial colors, flavors, and unhealthy fats that can pose a problem, especially if you consume them more than whole or minimally processed foods. 

"Ultra-processed foods are also nutrient-poor, meaning they lack essential vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds," Harvard-trained, board-certified internal medicine physician Anant Vinjamoori, M.D., chief medical officer at Modern Age, tells mindbodygreen about the food category. "Consistently consuming these foods can lead to nutritional deficiencies and inflammation, which can shorten one's life span and lead to obesity and a variety of diseases." And, for the purposes of this article, compromise skin health. 

So it's the ultra-processed variety I chose to completely avoid during my experiment. I also limited my consumption of ready-to-eat foods (namely sliced cheese, yogurt, and deli meat) and items with ingredient lists I couldn't pronounce. However, I still used items like olive oil and honey, both of which are technically processed. 

My experience eating no ultra-processed foods 

The biggest thing I learned throughout the week? Eating no processed foods takes a whole lot of prep. The main reason I even reach for processed items is because they're so dang easy. The last thing I want to do during a busy workday is grill up some chicken breast—much easier to grab some deli turkey slices or heat up a frozen meal. 

So on the first day of my experiment, I made sure to make enough easy-to-grab options for my weekly lunches. I grilled and sliced chicken, boiled lentils and quinoa, and washed and cut all my veggies so that I could easily whip something up midday. 

Instead of buying my favorite plant-based milk at the grocery store (which contains seed oils and emulsifiers—sigh), I also decided to make my own cashew milk at home. I blended up 2 tablespoons of raw cashews with 4 cups of water and was left with a creamy concoction to pour into my coffee. It didn't froth as well as my store-bought milk (likely because of the lack of fillers), but it did the job! 

I won't rattle off every single thing I ate during the week, but here are some meals I loved: 

  • For breakfast, I would typically fry up two eggs (over easy, always) with a side of fruit—either pomegranate seeds or an apple. I also picked up some fresh sourdough from my local market to make avocado toast some mornings.  
  • Lunchtime is typically when I feel laziest. It's difficult for me to break out of my working zone and take the time to whip up a meal. I'm glad I had the prepped items in my fridge to toss together—chicken salads and grain bowls were my go-to's. 
  • Dinner is always my favorite meal of the day since I have more time to get creative in the kitchen. Cooking helps me wind down, and I love testing new concoctions. One I especially adored this week was a ginger-turmeric chicken bowl inspired by recipe developer Rachel Mansfield. Along with shredded chicken thighs, I used quinoa, sweet potatoes, spinach, coconut milk, and fresh garlic and ginger for a fragrant, comforting evening meal. 
  • Instead of my usual dark chocolate almond butter cups, I decided to eat whole dates and fresh ground almond butter. I'm a chocolate lover, through and through, but the date bites did satisfy my sweet tooth (even without additional chocolate chips!). 
Jamie's breakfast and lunch
Image by Jamie Schneider / mbg beauty editor

My results 

This will likely come as no shock, but sticking to whole, natural foods really did make a difference in my skin health, not to mention my energy levels and overall digestion. 

As I mentioned, I frequently wake up puffy and inflamed depending on my new food rendezvous the night before. Without the sugar, salt, and alcohol (a "dry week," if you will) my skin looked way more refreshed in the a.m. 

I also experience occasional breakouts that I have long suspected crop up due to refined sugar—once I indulge in sweet treats, pesky zits aren't too far behind. It hasn't stopped me from giving up dessert completely (treats are good for the spirit!), but when I was more strict about the types of sweets I eat (namely, natural fructose), my skin appeared way calmer. 

All acne stems from inflammation of some kind, and now I know the inflammation from sugar has a significant impact on my complexion. Will I relinquish refined sugar forever? No, not likely. But now that I'm aware of sugar as a major trigger, I can tweak my diet accordingly—maybe I won't open up a bag of candy the night before an event where I want to show up with an even-toned glow.

Aside from the skin perks, I also noticed way more energy throughout the day. I typically succumb to the dreaded afternoon slump around 3 p.m., which I thought was just the natural order of being a working adult. Now, I know it's because I wasn't eating enough protein to maintain my energy levels. 

Ultra-processed foods are nutrient-poor, as Vinjamoori states, and they often lack essential macros like protein. By swapping a ready-made lunch for something more balanced and protein-rich, it was easier to get through the day without feeling sleepy. 

Tips to limit processed foods 

Curious to try your own experiment? Here's what I wish I knew before embarking: 

  • Meal prep: I couldn't have finished this experiment without prepping some items beforehand. Processed foods trump in terms of ease, so it helps to make unprocessed items just as readily available. Take the day before to pre-grill chicken, boil some eggs, prepare some rice or quinoa, or even cut up veggies to toss into a salad. You'll be happy you did when lunchtime rolls around. 
  • Build your menu: Rather than grabbing a bunch of healthy staples, I wish I had committed more time to planning an actual menu with sample meals. I felt a little overwhelmed at the grocery store and wanted to buy everything, which wasn't sustainable (for the planet or my wallet). 
  • Get creative: No need to commit to boring chicken and veggies every single day. With so many recipe developers and dietitians on Instagram and TikTok (and on our site!), it's never been easier to find nutritious, easy-to-make meals to make your own. Scrolling through my feed and bookmarking beautiful meals to make for dinner made the week way less mundane—and, dare I say, fun? 

The takeaway 

I won't sit here and say raw nut butter is the secret to glowing skin, but there's a reason experts tell you to stick to a whole, balanced diet for a better complexion: It works. Smart topicals, facials, and innovative treatments do pull their weight, but you also need to feed your skin the basic nutrients it needs to thrive.

So while the weeklong experiment may be over, I'll continue to limit ultra-processed foods whenever I can—especially at lunchtime, which I now know is crucial for keeping up my energy levels too.

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