108. Are You Eating Yourself Sick? The Dangers of Ultra-Processed Foods

60% of the average American diet is made up of highly processed foods. These foods are linked to a variety of health risks, including obesity, heart disease, and even mental health issues.
These foods are designed to be convenient and long-lasting, packaged, often brightly colored, but what's inside these is far from natural or healthy. Ultra-processed foods typically contain little, if any, real food.
They're made from refined ingredients like sugars, oils, and starches that have been chemically altered.

The key to their long shelf life? Additives.

The more processing food goes through, the more it loses its nutritional value.

A recent study found that people who consume ultra-processed foods have a 144% higher risk of developing. Welcome back to the Ultimate Human Podcast, guys.
I'm your host, human biologist, Gary Brecka, and today we're tackling the many dangers of ultra-processed foods. These are the foods you see everywhere, packaged, convenient, often brightly colored, but what's inside these is far from natural or healthy.
Here's a staggering fact. 60% of the average American diet is made up of highly processed foods.
These foods are linked to a variety of health risks, including obesity, heart disease, and even mental health issues. In today's episode, we're going to dive deep into what ultra-processed foods are, why they're so dangerous to your health, and most importantly, how you can reduce your intake.
Let's get started. What exactly are ultra-processed foods? Ultra-processed foods, or highly processed foods, are industrially manufactured and usually packaged as ready to eat.
Think about the aisles in your grocery store, chips, soda, instant noodles, frozen meals, and even many breakfast cereals. These foods are designed to be convenient and long lasting, but they are far from nutritious.
The key to their long shelf life, additives, lots of them. These include preservatives, artificial sweeteners, flavor enhancers, emulsifiers, and colorings, all of which are added to enhance taste, texture, and durability.
But these aren't whole foods. In fact, ultra-processed foods typically contain little, if any, real food.
Instead, they're made from refined ingredients like sugars, oils, and starches that have been chemically altered. This is very different from minimally processed foods, such as canned beans or pickled vegetables, which retain their natural nutrients.
The issue is that the more processing food goes through, the more it loses its nutritional value. In fact, the typical ultra-processed food is extremely high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, incredibly low in fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats.
This imbalance is the root cause of many health problems, and we'll discuss these shortly. Now that we know what ultra-processed foods are, let's talk about what makes them so dangerous.
A growing body of research shows a direct negative association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and overall health. The effects are seen across the board.
Increased rates of obesity, heart disease, cancer, and even mental health problems. For example, ultra-processed foods are energy-dense, meaning they are packed with calories but lack the necessary nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and essential vitamins.
This is why you can eat an entire bag of chips and still feel hungry. These foods are high in saturated fats, sugar, and salt, but lack fiber and healthy fats and vital nutrients.
Researchers have broken down the impact of ultra-processed foods into specific health outcomes, and the results are concerning. Studies show a direct correlation between the consumption of these foods and increased mortality, higher rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, and gastrointestinal problems.
One study even found that eating more ultra-processed foods increases your risk of developing chronic kidney disease by 125%. One of the most well-documented effects of eating a diet high in ultra-processed foods is weight gain.
These foods typically are engineered to be hyper-palpable, meaning they're designed to taste so good that you can't stop eating them. And because they're stripped of their important nutrients, people tend to eat more of them to try and feel satisfied.
A 2020 review found that people who eat ultra processed foods tend to consume more calories overall, leading to higher rates of obesity. The foods themselves are part of the problem.
They're low in fiber and protein, two key nutrients that help you feel full, and as a result, you end up eating more to make up for the nutritional shortfall. Studies show that people who consume large amounts of ultra-processed foods are 39% more likely to become obese compared to those who eat fewer processed foods.
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Now let's get back to the Ultimate Human Podcast. It's not just your physical health that's affected by ultra-processed foods.
Your mental health takes a hit too. Research has consistently shown that diets high in ultra-processed foods are linked to higher rates of anxiety and higher rates of depression.
In fact, people who eat a lot of these foods are 1.4 times more likely to develop anxiety and 1.44 times more likely to suffer from depression compared to those who eat whole foods. This connection isn't surprising when you consider the nutritional profile of ultra processed foods.
These foods are low in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain health, and high in refined sugars, which can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes. And over time, this roller coaster effect on your blood sugar can contribute to mood swings, irritability, and long-term mental health problems.
A systemic review of observational studies published in Nutrients in 2022 found that people who ate more ultra-processed foods reported significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. It's a vicious cycle.
Poor nutrition leads to poor mental health, which can lead to further unhealthy eating habits. So let's talk about the long-term impact of ultra-processed foods on chronic diseases.
These foods are major contributors to the rise in diet-related diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. A recent study found that people who consume ultra-processed foods have a 144% higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who eat more whole foods.
This is a startling statistic that highlights just how damaging these foods can be over time. Additionally, a diet rich in ultra-processed foods increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
So the reason? These foods are high in refined sugars and unhealthy fats, which lead to insulin resistance, inflammation, even plaque buildup in the artery. Yet another study published in the British Medical Journal found that increased consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to higher risks of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer, which is on the rise.
Ultra-processed foods contain high levels of nitrates, preservatives, and artificial additives, many of which have been shown to have carcinogenic properties. Over time, exposure to these substances can cause DNA damage, leading to the development of cancerous cells.
Now that we've covered the dangers of ultra-processed foods, let's talk about some practical ways to reduce your intake. The first thing we can do is buy more whole foods in the grocery store.
Next time you go to the grocery store, aim to fill your cart with whole, unprocessed foods. Try fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
These are your best bet for a nutritious meal. Cook at home.
Set aside more time to cook meals from scratch. So few people are doing this nowadays.
We live in a busy world, and often convenience takes priority. But cooking at home allows you to control what goes into your food.
If time is an issue, consider a meal prepping at the start of the week so you have healthy meals ready to go for your work week. Limit packaged foods.
Ultra processed foods are often found in colorful, enticing packaging designed to grab your attention. Stick to the outer aisles of the grocery store.
I always say shop the perimeter of the store where fresh produce, meats, and dairy are typically located and avoid highly processed snacks in the middle of the aisles. Read labels carefully.
Look out for long lists of ingredients, especially those you can't even pronounce. If a product has more than five ingredients, especially artificial additives, it's likely highly processed.
Why don't you try a whole food diet? Cut out ultra processed foods all together by focusing on whole food diet. This means eating foods in their most natural form.
Think fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and meats. This approach not only limits your intake of harmful processed food, but also provides your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive.
In conclusion, ultra-processed foods are a major threat to your health. They are nutrient-poor, packed with harmful additives, and significantly increase your risk for developing chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.
But the good news is you have the power to take control of your diet.

By choosing whole foods and reducing your consumption of ultra processed foods,

you can protect your health and support your longevity. Thank you for joining me today,

guys, on the Ultimate Human Podcast. Remember, what you put on your plate

really does matter. Take control of your health.
And that's just science.