Ultra-processed foods, such as frozen pizza and ready meals, make our super busy lives much easier. Moreover, they can be very tasty and tempting. Who doesn’t love hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, sodas, cookies, cakes, candies, donuts, and ice cream, to name just a few?
However, if more than 20% of your daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods, you may be increasing your risk of dementia, according to a new study.
This amount equates to about 400 calories per day in a 2,000-calorie diet. For comparison, a small order of fries and a regular cheeseburger from McDonald’s contains a total of 530 calories.
The part of the brain involved in processing information and making decisions is especially affected, according to the study published on Monday, December 5, in JAMA Neurology.
The research findings showed that men and women who consumed more ultra-processed foods had a 28% faster rate of cognitive decline and a 25% faster rate of decline in executive brain function compared to those who consumed a lower amount of overly processed foods.
“Although this is an association study, not designed to prove cause and effect, there are several elements to strengthen the proposition that some acceleration in cognitive deterioration may be attributed to ultra-processed foods,” said Dr. David Katz, a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine and nutrition, who did not participate in the study.
“The sample size is substantial and the follow-up extensive. While not proof, this is robust enough for us to conclude that ultra-processed foods are likely bad for our brains.”
But there is an interesting point to highlight: if the overall diet quality of the participant was high—which means the person also consumed plenty of whole, unprocessed fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy protein sources—the association between ultra-processed foods and cognitive decline disappeared, Katz said.
The study, presented at the 2022 International Alzheimer’s Association Conference in San Diego, followed over 10,000 Brazilians for up to 10 years.
“In Brazil, ultra-processed foods account for 25% to 30% of total caloric intake. We have McDonald’s, Burger King, and we eat a lot of chocolate and white bread. Unfortunately, it’s not much different from many other Western countries,” said study co-author Dr. Claudia Suemoto, assistant professor in the geriatrics division at the University of São Paulo’s Medical School.
“Fifty-eight percent of the calories consumed by U.S. citizens, 56.8% of the calories consumed by British citizens, and 48% of the calories consumed by Canadians come from ultra-processed foods,” Suemoto said.
Ultra-processed foods are defined as “industrial formulations of food substances (oils, vitamins, sugars, starch, and isolated proteins) that contain little or no whole food and usually include flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, and other cosmetic additives,” according to the study.
It’s Not Just the Brain That Is Harmed
In addition to the impact on cognition, ultra-processed foods are already known to increase the risk of obesity, heart and circulatory problems, diabetes, cancer, and reduced life expectancy.
Ultra-processed foods are generally high in sugar, salt, and fat, all of which promote inflammation throughout the body, which is “perhaps the greatest threat to healthy aging of the body and brain,” said Dr. Rudy Tanzi, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of the genetics and aging research unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was not involved in the study.
“As they are convenient as a quick meal, they also replace the intake of foods rich in plant fibers, important for maintaining the health and balance of the trillions of bacteria in your gut microbiome,” Tanzi added, “which is particularly important for brain health and reducing the risk of age-related brain diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.”
What Should You Do?
If you include ultra-processed foods in your diet, try to counteract them by also eating high-quality whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
“The suggested conclusion here is that ultra-processed foods are indeed an important ‘ingredient,’ but the exposure that should be the focus of public health efforts is the overall quality of the diet,” Katz said.
In other words, the secret is called balance and common sense.
Source: CNN