The bread in your toaster, the biscuit with your evening chai, the two-minute noodles on a lazy night. India's own nutrition guidelines put all three in the same group: ultra-processed food. And Indians have been buying more and more of it. A WHO and ICRIER report found that India's ultra-processed food sector grew at 13.37% a year in retail sales value between 2011 and 2021.
If you want the ultra processed foods list for India in one line, here it is, based on ICMR-NIN's 2024 guidelines:
- Ultra-processed: commercially made bread, biscuits, cakes, breakfast cereals, chips, jams, sauces, instant noodles, cold drinks, energy drinks and packaged fruit juices.
- Not ultra-processed: home-cooked roti, dal, sabzi, idli and dosa, curd, milk, fresh fruit, nuts and plain water.
- In between: foods like polished rice, maida, papad, pickles and shop-bought sweets, which are processed but made without additives.
What is ultra processed food?
Almost everything we eat is processed in some way. Rice is milled, milk is pasteurised, dal is cleaned and packed. That is not the problem.
ICMR-NIN defines ultra-processed foods as products that have gone through extensive industrial processing and contain many additives, such as preservatives, sweeteners, colours, flavours and emulsifiers, that you would not normally use in your own kitchen. The heavy processing often strips out fibre and micronutrients, and these foods are usually ready to eat with little or no cooking.
A simple test: if the ingredient list has several things you would never keep in your rasoi, you are probably looking at an ultra-processed food.
Ultra processed foods list for India: what falls where?
ICMR-NIN sorts foods into three groups by how much they are processed. Here is that list with everyday Indian examples, taken from its food categorisation table.
A few of these surprise most people. Soy chunks, peanut butter and protein powders all sit in Group C. So does packaged fruit juice, which we looked at closely in our piece on hidden sugars in packaged juices.
Notice too that the same food can move between groups. Paneer made at home is Group A. Paneer made commercially with additives is Group C. Flour works the same way: ICMR-NIN lists maida in Group B, and also lists commercially produced refined flours in Group C, the group it defines as mass-produced with additives. That is why the label matters more than the name of the food.
Is bread, Maggi or biscuit ultra processed?
These are the questions people search for most, so here are straight answers based on ICMR-NIN's guidelines:
- Bread: commercially produced bread is listed in Group C, so yes. A roti made at home from whole wheat atta is Group A.
- Instant noodles, such as Maggi: ICMR-NIN says instant foods such as instant noodles, breakfast cereals, soup mixes and cake mixes fall under the UPF category.
- Biscuits: also Group C, and ICMR-NIN lists biscuits among foods that are high in salt too.
- Street food: ICMR-NIN says street foods are generally fresh and wholesome, and most are not UPFs. The bigger worry there is hygiene.
- Fast food: most of it is cooked fresh and does not count as UPF, but ICMR-NIN flags items like milkshakes, chips, pizzas, burgers and fries as unhealthy because they are high in fat, sugar or salt, or ultra-processed.
One more thing worth knowing. A packet that says "fortified" or "with added vitamins" is not automatically healthy. ICMR-NIN is clear that fortifying or enriching an ultra-processed food does not make it wholesome.
Why are ultra processed foods bad for you?
ICMR-NIN gives two main reasons. They are low in fibre and micronutrients, and they are often high in fat, sugar or both, which pushes up calories. It links regular UPF consumption to overweight and obesity, and higher risks of coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
The wider research points the same way. A 2024 umbrella review in the BMJ pulled together 45 pooled analyses covering close to 9.9 million people. It found convincing evidence linking higher ultra-processed food intake with a higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, anxiety and common mental health problems.
To be fair to the evidence, most of these studies show links, not proof that UPFs directly cause each problem, and the review rated most of the evidence (41 of 45 analyses) as low or very low quality. But the pattern is consistent enough that ICMR-NIN's advice is simple: minimise them.
How can you cut down on ultra processed foods in an Indian kitchen?
You do not need to throw out everything in your kitchen. Aim to make Group A your base and keep Group C as an occasional thing.
- Swap the packaged juice. ICMR-NIN suggests water, buttermilk, tender coconut water, fresh lemon juice or chia seeds soaked in lemon juice instead of sugary drinks.
- Rethink breakfast. Idli, dosa, plain oats or a whole-wheat roti sit in Group A. Packaged breakfast cereals are in Group C.
- Pair your chai with something else. Whole nuts or a piece of fruit are Group A. Biscuits are Group C.
- Read the ingredient list, not just the front of the pack. A long list with colours, flavours, emulsifiers and preservatives is your clue. For what the new warning labels may look like, see our explainer on FSSAI's red warning labels.
- Choose paneer carefully. Home-made is Group A. If you buy it, check the label, and read our guide on spotting analogue paneer.
If you want a week of meals built around home-style Group A food, our free diet plan tool can put one together for your region and diet.
Frequently asked questions
What is ultra processed food in simple words?
It is food made in a factory through heavy processing, with additives like preservatives, colours, flavours and emulsifiers that you would not use at home. It is usually ready to eat and low in fibre.
Is paneer ultra processed?
It depends on how it is made. ICMR-NIN puts paneer made at home in Group A, shop-bought paneer without additives in Group B, and paneer made commercially with additives in Group C.
Is curd ultra processed?
No. ICMR-NIN lists curd made at home or bought from the market in Group A, the least processed group.
Are all packaged foods ultra processed?
No. Pasteurised milk, frozen foods without preservatives and many packed staples are in Group A or B. What makes a food ultra-processed is extensive industrial processing and additives, not the packet itself.
Amaayu makes packaged functional waters. Like any packaged drink, read the ingredient list on the bottle before you buy, ours included.
This article is general information, not medical advice.
