Blood and Urine Molecules as Indicators of Ultra-Processed Food Consumption

Recent research reveals that analyzing specific molecules in blood and urine samples can accurately indicate the intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which constitute over half of the calories in the typical American diet. Despite the widespread consumption of UPFs, their health impacts remain ambiguous, partly due to challenges in tracking their consumption accurately.

A comprehensive study published in PLOS Medicine involved examining blood and urine samples from 718 older adults, alongside detailed dietary records, to identify chemical fingerprints—known as poly-metabolite scores—that correlate with UPF intake. The findings showed that hundreds of metabolites in these biological fluids are associated with the percentage of energy derived from UPFs. Notably, a score based on 28 blood metabolites or 33 urine metabolites could reliably predict UPF consumption among the participants.

To validate these biomarkers, researchers conducted controlled feeding trials with 20 inpatients at the NIH Clinical Center. The results confirmed that the metabolite scores could distinguish individuals on high-UPF diets from those on diets free of UPFs, confirming their potential as objective dietary measures. This advancement offers a significant improvement over self-reported dietary data, which can often be unreliable.

The study's authors emphasize that these poly-metabolite scores could be instrumental in large-scale population studies, providing accurate, objective measurements of UPF intake. They suggest that further research is needed to refine these scores across diverse populations with various dietary habits. Ultimately, these biomarkers could enhance our understanding of the impacts of UPFs on human health and help shape dietary guidelines.

This promising approach offers a new pathway to better monitor and evaluate dietary patterns, particularly the consumption of ultra-processed foods, and could aid in public health strategies aimed at reducing intake of potentially harmful processed foods.

source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-molecules-blood-urine-reveal-ultra.html