That's the takeaway from a new "report card" on the American diet, which found that since 1999 we are eating nearly 3% fewer highly processed foods with added sugars. Consider canned and frozen"A healthy diet doesn't have to be costly," said dietitian Lisa Drayer, a CNN health and nutrition contributor. Even a 10% increase in ultraprocessed foods was significantly associated with a 14% higher risk of death from all causes. Instead choose minimally processed foods that retain most of their inherent nutritional and physical properties, Drayer says. But avoid pre-packaged ingredients when you cook (remember the ultra-processed foods), as they will just defeat your efforts.

"High sodium, you've got to think of highly processed food," said lead author Sylvie Mrug, chair of the psychology department at UAB. "The study findings make sense, as potassium-rich foods are healthy foods," said dietitian Lisa Drayer, a CNN health and nutrition contributor. Prior studies have similarly found a link between fast food, processed baked goods and depression in adults. One study in Spain followed almost 9,000 people over six years and found a 48% higher risk of depression in those who ate more highly processed foods. "It might be hard to tease out if diet is the factor or simply a marker for other risk factors for depression."