Almost 60% of the calories consumed by adults in the United States come from ultra-processed foods, a number higher than in countries such as England, Canada, France, Lebanon, Brazil or Japan where it ranges from 25% to 50% , indicate figures from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Ultra-processed foods contain a high combination of fat, sugar, sodium and artificial flavors. They fall into the group that scientists call hyperpalatables: those that are irresistible, easy to overeat, and able to trick the brain’s reward system into powerful cravings.
Stopping eating ultra-processed foods will damage your physical and mental health. But the first step for this is to know what they are and if they are part of your diet, to get a substitute.
Ultra-processed and unprocessed foods
Ultra-processed foods are industrial products that contain a large amount of additives: salt, sugar and oils combined with artificial flavors and colors, as well as stabilizers and preservatives.
They are usually subjected to different processing methods in which they change their taste, texture and appearance to something that is not found in nature. Examples of these are sugary cereals, women, hot dogs, cheese crackers, and boxed mac and cheese.
There are foods that we consume that are not processed: whole fruits and vegetables, frozen meats, dairy products and eggs, among others.
There are also foods that go through minimal processing and you can recognize them because they have few ingredients on their label, among them we find freshly made bread and cheese, salted peanut butter, pasta sauces, packets of popcorn , canned fruit, fish and vegetables.
They are harmful to health
A clinical trial conducted by the NIH found that a diet based on ultra-processed foods leads to rapid weight and fat gain, while a diet based on unprocessed foods aids in weight loss, lowers cholesterol levels, and increases of the hormone PYY, responsible for suppressing appetite.
Ultra-processed foods generally contain very little or no fiber, making them easy to chew and quick to digest despite being high in calories. They are absorbed quickly once they leave the stomach and reach the small intestine, which causes a rise in blood sugar, insulin and other hormones.
The high pressures and temperatures to which the ingredients of these ultra-processed products are subjected can even destroy micronutrients and create new components that are harmful to health, explained Carlos A. Monteiro, an expert on ultra-processed foods and a professor of nutrition and health from the School of Public Health at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
How to vary your diet?
To leave the dependence on ultra-processed foods you must start by avoiding buying prepared or packaged products; and consume more whole and minimally processed food.
It is important that you look at food labels and select those that contain the fewest ingredients.
Cooking at home will help you avoid processed products like boxed nuggets, also try eating plain yogurt to which you can add fruit, peanut butter and honey which is a natural sweetener.
Eliminate foods with a large amount of additives such as fizzy drinks and energy drinks, you can replace them with sparkling water and lemon, sugar-free tea or flavored water with some type of natural fruit.
Primary news source: The Washington Post.