In Defense Of Counting Ingredients

Several years ago, a simple piece of nutrition advice was everywhere: count the ingredients. Magazines, wellness blogs and even TV segments encouraged people to flip over a package and check the label. The idea being: The fewer the ingredients, the less processed the food, and likely the healthier it was.

The trend ran out of steam in the broader population and also failed to gain traction in the medical community. Why?

1) Although the harms of ultra processed foods (UPF) were already well documented, at the time, there wasn’t much direct research tying the number of ingredients to health outcomes. Note the distinction between the two by comparing these examples:

- A popular snack: Corn, vegetable oil, salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial flavor.
- Good quality bread: whole grain flour, water, yeast, salt, sesame seeds.

Same number of ingredients but very different levels of processing. Based on this, some experts worried the advice was too simplistic: A food could have five unhealthy ingredients or ten healthy ones.

2) For many Americans raised on highly processed foods, the advice was too radical. To this day, over 50% of American calories come from UPFs. An almost unbelievable number.

3) Around the same time, flashier diets like keto and intermittent fasting grabbed the spotlight and marketing momentum.

Why We Should Reconsider

• A practical starting point: Counting ingredients isn’t a perfect measure of processing, but it’s an easy and effective first step.

• Realistic for most people: Eliminating ultra-processed foods entirely is unrealistic for most Americans, but choosing items with shorter, simpler ingredient lists is doable.

• Accessible for those with limited food literacy: For people still developing their food knowledge, it can be the single most practical tool to guide healthier choices.

• Encourages label awareness: It helps people pay closer attention to food labels and notice what’s in their products.

• Promotes self-education: People may start looking up unfamiliar ingredients and learning which foods are healthier.

• Builds pattern recognition: Over time, they spot trends in which foods are consistently better choices.

• Supports smarter shopping decisions: People may discover stores or brands that carry healthier options, making long-term improvements more sustainable.

Notice: Label awareness >> self-education >> pattern recognition >> better decisions

How to Get Started

• Flip the package before you buy.

• Choose items with shorter, familiar ingredient lists.

• Make small swaps: plain yogurt with fruit instead of pre-sweetened, or oats instead of flavored instant packets.

• Remember that it’s not about perfection. A long-ingredient food here and there won’t ruin your health. It’s about building good habits.
  
  

Conclusion

The “count the ingredients” trend may have faded, but its wisdom is worth reviving. If you want a quick, realistic way to steer toward better health, start by turning the package over and counting. That one small habit can pay big dividends in your long-term health.

By Ziya Aktig, MD