Are Processed Foods Really Bad for You?

Rooted & Restless with Marianne Smith Edge · Feb 12, 2026 · 37m

Processed foods often get blamed for today’s health challenges—but is processing itself really the issue? In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RDN sits down with Dr. Taylor Wallace, food scientist and nutrition researcher to unpack the science, history, and misconceptions surrounding processed and “ultra-processed” foods.

What We Cover:

• Why processed foods exist and their evolution of being a “homemaker’s convenience” to a link to major health concerns.

• What “ultra-processed” really means—and why it’s often misunderstood

• What the real dietary factors in food…