Studies have linked ultraprocessed food to obesity, heart disease and other chronic health conditions. Photo illustration by Jessica Pettway for CNN. Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero

As I push my cart into my favorite grocery store, I stop and look at the shoppers — my neighbors — around me. Do they realize that nearly 70% of the food available to purchase for their families is ultraprocessed ? And if they did, would they know how to avoid those foods?

I’ve been trying to answer that question for more than two years now, as part of my beat for the CNN Wellness team. Not only does my team report on the latest lifestyle news, we also provide expert-vetted guidance on how to improve your health — we like to say it’s “news you can use.”

Yet after reading countless studies, talking to doz

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