Food Junkies Podcast: What's in a Name? UltraProcessed Food or Food Product with Ashka Naik, 2025

Ultraprocessed food or ultraprocessed food product? What is in a name, and does it matter what we call it?

Welcome to the Food Junkies Podcast. My name is Dr Vera Tarman and I am cohost today, along with Molly Painschab, speaking with Ashka Naik.

Ashka Naik leads the Research and Policy department at Corporate Accountability, a global human rights and social justice NGO. Ashka focuses on food systems, nutrition, and public health, while highlighting the food industry's influence on food security policies and food justice issues. She’s a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, studying the relationships between public policy, women's rights and food security. At Food Junkies, we have discussed how the food industry deliberately makes foods addictive, but how does Big Food manipulate consumer perceptions so that we buy this food over healthier foods?

🔍 Topics Covered:
The colonial and corporate roots of ultra-processed food systems
Food as power: how what we eat reflects who holds control
The extinction of food knowledge and the myth of “choice”
From peaceful to violent processing: what got lost in the name of convenience
Feminism, kitchen culture, and reclaiming traditional food prep as empowerment
Why we must stop calling ultra-processed products “food”
Grassroots vs. systemic change: what can individuals and communities do?
Rethinking the language of “food addiction” through a justice framework
Lessons from the tobacco wars: how public pressure can drive industry accountability
The sacredness of nourishment — and how to teach our children to reclaim it
🌱 Resources & References:
Corporate Accountability
“Not Food: Time to Call Ultra-Processed Food Products by Their True Name” – Co-authored article by Ashka Naik, Dr. Prescott, and Dr. Logan
📣 Final Message from Ashka:

“Do not let anyone or anything make you believe that you can compromise on your relationship with what nourishes you.”

💡Learn more about Ashka
💌Email us at [email protected]

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.