According to a study, processed foods are linked to a shorter shelf life. The study focused on highly processed foods, such as ready meals, energy bars, and ice cream.
Frequent consumption of foods with salt, added sugar, and fat, such as packaged foods, can contribute to weight gain and increase the risk of metabolic problems. You can reach for the vending machine when you’re hungry, but a new study suggests that ultra-processed foods — those industrially made with multiple ingredients and additives — can cost you years of life.
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, used self-reported data from 44,551 participants in the French NutriNet-Santé study, an ongoing study that began in 2009. Study participants shared their daily meals for a median period of 7, 1 year. The mean age at the start of the study was 56.7 years and 73% of the participants were women.
In the study group, ultra-processed foods accounted for almost 34% of the participants’ average daily caloric intake. The researchers found that a 10% increase in consumption of these types of foods was associated with a 14% increased risk of premature death from all causes. In other words, the study authors noted that when ultra-processed foods made up a larger portion of a person’s diet, they appeared to have a higher risk of premature death.
What exactly is considered “processed” food?
The study defined processed foods using the NOVA food classification system, which classifies food products into four groups. Group 1 foods are unprocessed or minimally processed foods that come directly from plants or animals, such as fresh fruit and milk. Group 2 foods are substances derived from unprocessed foods, such as oils, butter, sugar, and salt. Group 3 foods are “processed” and are made by adding salt, oil, and other ingredients to unprocessed or minimally processed foods, such as fruit in syrup and fresh bread. Group 4 foods are “ultra-processed” and include soft drinks, ice cream, energy bars, and ready meals.
When you prepare processed foods, you typically add salt, sugar, and fat, and likely remove the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are naturally present in those foods. Both aspects are worrisome: what is added and how it affects health, and what is removed and how it affects health. Based on their findings and France’s national nutritional requirements, the study authors recommend reducing the amount of ultra-processed foods consumed, in favor of fresh, unprocessed foods.
How can processed foods be harmful to health?
Limitations of the study include that participants self-reported their food diary and that participants are more health-conscious than the general population, which may mean that mortality rates and consumption of ultra-processed foods are likely to be lower than those of the general population. The follow-up period was relatively short, the researchers note, and most of the participants were women. The study authors say more research is needed to confirm their findings, but they suggest that the nutrient profile of these ultra-processed foods, additives and industrial food processing may be to blame.
This is how they explain it:
Nutritional quality: On average, ultra-processed foods tend to be lower in fiber and vitamins, and higher in sugar, salt, and saturated fatty acids. But the study did take nutritional quality into account, which probably doesn’t fully explain its findings, they say.
Food Additives: In animal studies, certain food additives have been shown to have effects on chronic disease. According to a review published in November 2017 in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, artificial thickeners, preservatives, and sweeteners can impair immune function and contribute to metabolic diseases, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Plastic packaging: Ultra-processed foods are often wrapped in plastic, the substances from which can migrate into the food. BPA (bisphenol A), which is commonly found in some plastics and canned goods, can disrupt hormone levels and affect reproductive health in women, according to research published October 2015 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. .
Compounds formed during processing: Certain compounds, such as acrylamide and acrolein, that are formed due to high-temperature heating may be associated with an increased incidence of cardiometabolic disease, according to a study published August 2014 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
4 Tips to Eat Less Processed Food
In general, you should try to eat unprocessed or minimally processed foods, but it can be difficult to avoid highly processed foods. However, the study results remind us that we can make healthier and more informed decisions.
4 ways to make small changes:
Read Nutrition Facts labels and choose the option with the least sodium and added sugar. Try to consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Calories from added sugar should not exceed 10% per day; for a 2,000 calorie diet, that’s about 12 tsp.
Look for a minimum number of ingredients and ingredients you recognize in packaged foods.
Cook dinner at home as much as possible instead of going out to restaurants or ordering home-cooked meals.
Buy more fresh fruit than processed fruit (canned or in syrup, for example). Frozen fruits are picked when they are freshest and are also a healthy option.
It is important to remember that health is complex; it is not a single thing, but a collection of little things. Including these last 4.
* HealthKey strives to convey health knowledge in a language accessible to all. In NO EVENT can the information provided replace the opinion of a health professional.
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Processed foods bold Salt Sugar