Ultra-Processed Foods Linked To Overeating And Inflammation
While the exact definition can vary, ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, are typically foods that are calorically dense, higher in refined sugar, fat, and salt, low in fiber and other nutrients, and of course, highly processed.
One problem with UPFs is that they tend to make people overeat. The high salt, fat, and carb combination can make them particularly easy to overconsume. Coupled with typically lower protein levels, these foods often fail to provide the same level of satiety as a similar number of calories from whole foods might offer.
'Experimental evidence demonstrates that the soft texture, high energy density and hyperpalatable nutrient combinations of UPF facilitate excessive energy intakes by affecting ingestive behaviours, satiety signalling and food reward systems,' read a July 14 study in Nature.
Another study published in May in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism found a strong link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the presence of C-reactive protein (CRP). CPR is produced by the liver in response to inflammation and is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. The researchers also found that consuming UPFs drove a higher white blood cell count.
'These two biomarkers indicate that these foods are causing an inflammatory response in our bodies. In a sense, this suggests that our bodies are seeing these as non-foods, as some kind of other element,' said Anthea Christoforou, an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University and senior author of the paper.
In short, UPFs may be harmful for a multitude of reasons: they cause us to overeat, trigger inflammation, and lack sufficient protein and nutritious vitamins and minerals.
To make matters worse, these types of foods are heavily marketed and convenient. Children are particularly susceptible to nutrient-scarce, high-sugar items, such as cereal, prominently featured in grocery store aisles.
The good news? Trials have shown that dropping even one daily serving of UPFs from your diet can help cut inflammatory markers.
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