Food is complicated. We eat to stay alive, for pleasure, to stay healthy or get healthier. Increasingly, we eat because the food itself seems to be telling us to eat more.

Consider the gummy worm. Though eating replicas of underground invertebrates may not sound appealing, evidently it is: Americans spent more than 5 billion dollars on gummy worms in 2024. This striking fact led us to choose the chemical-laden confection as the cover “model” for this issue of *Science News*, which delves into the science behind big questions on food and health.

Our first stop is ultraprocessed foods. Gummy worms and other highly processed salty, fatty, or sugary foods have come to dominate the American food supply, accounting for more than half of the calories that people consume at home. These foods are engineered to activate the brain’s reward system, inducing cravings, senior neuroscience writer Laura Sanders reports.

Researchers in nutrition, obesity, and addiction have built a strong case explaining why these ultraprocessed foods are so perilous. Around the world, efforts are underway to protect public health by regulating such foods. Emulating these initiatives in the United States would require federal actions, such as stronger regulations or improved labeling.

Although the Trump administration has highlighted the health risks associated with ultraprocessed foods, it has not yet implemented major changes.

We also examine the current craze for consuming more protein, with big scoops being added to seemingly everything—even Starbucks coffee. However, most Americans already eat more protein than necessary, social sciences writer Sujata Gupta reports.

What matters more for our bodies is the quality of protein, especially for older adults. Getting high-quality protein can be as simple as combining beans and rice.

This issue of *Science News* explores these topics and more, shedding light on the complex science behind the foods we eat and how they impact our health.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ed-note-how-food-affects-health