We’re not fans of ultra-processed foods. We share so many quick and easy meals because we want to help our customers avoid them. While ultra-processed foods can seem like cheap alternatives to cooking, it’s because their ingredients hardly count as food.
Researchers analyzed dozens of recent studies looking at the health of more than 10 million people. They found that a diet high in ultra-processed food was linked to everything from early death, cancer, breathing problems, blood sugar concerns, mental health issues and more. In all, it was linked to 32 health problems.
They said that ultra-processed foods “encompass a broad range of ready-to-eat products including packaged snacks, carbonated soft drinks, instant noodles and ready-made meals. These products are characterized as industrial formulations primarily composed of chemically modified substances extracted from foods, along with additives to enhance taste, texture, appearance and durability, with minimal to no inclusion of whole foods.” They’re the pre-packaged foods that come from factories. When you read the labels of foods and don’t recognize the ingredients, it’s time to put them back on the shelf.
They are cheap and have a long shelf life, making them appealing. People’s diets vary around the world. For instance, people in Italy have a diet with about 10 percent ultra-processed food; here in the U.S., our diets are about 58 percent ultra-processed food. The more we eat, the higher our risks become. Finding ways to cut ultra-processed food from your diet is essential to good health.
Ultra-processed food damages the gut. As much as 70 percent of immune system health comes from gut bacteria. The gut also impacts the heart, lungs and brain. For this reason alone, it’s important to avoid ultra-processed food. It impacts the brain, harming the ability to learn and memorize things. And it can be as addictive as alcohol or nicotine — foods high in sugar and fat activate the dopamine centers of the brain.
While the FDA isn’t moving to take drastic measures like banning ultra-processed food, they are considering clearer packaging. We always stress the importance of reading labels carefully. Companies can “health-wash” products to make them sound healthier than they are. New labels required by the FDA would call out sodium, sugar and saturated fat on the front of products. That wouldn’t limit people’s choices. It would stop big companies from duping us into thinking we’re choosing the healthy option.
These labels “will make it easier for consumers to make healthier choices and better understand the nutritional value of the foods and beverages they buy,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association.
Everyone deserves to have all the information when making food choices. Knowing the health impacts of food and what is in the food we’re consuming is essential for better health. Hopefully, this study and better labels will force companies to make better products and help us all make great choices for ourselves.
