Ultra-processed foods are even more harmful than we thought
New research with alarming results
In the developed world, ultra-processed foods make up 50% of all calories we consume. They have been linked to several diseases and obesity, while the intense industrial processes used in their production destroy the natural structure of the ingredients, depriving our body of many beneficial materials, such as fiber, vitamins and more.
We all know that these foods are bad for our health, but it is not clear if this is simply because they are poor in nutritional value. Now, two new studies show that poor nutritional value is not enough to explain the risks to our health.
The first study studied 20,000 Italian adults and found that those who consumed more ultra-processed foods had an increased risk of dying prematurely from various factors.
The second studied 50,000 American men in the field of health professionals and found that increased consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a greater risk of colon cancer.
Studies have even shown that getting the right nutrients in your diet from other sources was not enough to negate the risk of disease from eating hyper-processed foods. So what are the factors that make these foods so dangerous for our health?
Italian research found in people with high consumption of ultra-processed foods, signs of inflammation such as increased white blood cell counts. When the body responds to danger with increased white blood cells such as to a virus, their number decreases when the disease is fought. But in cases where it remains high, they cause chronic diseases such as cancer or heart disease. Other research has linked poor nutrition to chronic inflammation, which in turn has been linked to an increased risk of chronic disease.
Some researchers believe that the body recognizes hyper-processed foods as something foreign and responds by increasing white blood cells. In addition, other mechanisms such as impaired kidney function and toxin build-up may also explain why hyper-processed foods cause so many health problems.
The researchers suggest a shift to a natural diet, even mentioning the Mediterranean diet since it has anti-inflammatory properties. This is often difficult since hyper-processed foods do not state this on their packaging and the only way to recognize them is to look at their ingredients for additives, colorings and other industrial products.
