No one was asked to cut calories, and yet those eating minimally processed meals naturally ate less and lost more weight. Minimally processed foods (MPFs), on the other hand, include things like overnight oats, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and home-cooked meals made from scratch. RELATED: A Plant-Based Diet Reduces Sleep Apnea Risk by 19 Percent, Study Finds: “These Are Key Factors”In the UCL study, participants ate both types of diets in a controlled setting. In fact, people eating minimally processed meals said they had an easier time resisting junk food temptations. Most of the UCL study participants usually ate diets high in ultra-processed foods.