Are the Foods You are Eating Killing You? Rachel Devine
The more I learn about the dangers of ultra-processed foods, the more cautious I am about what I eat. I try to stick with organic whole foods that are relatively healthy. I gave up fast-food around 20 years ago and in doing so my underlying stomach issues vanished. This article is about looking at the processed foods that are unhealthy and touching upon how food addictions can factor into this and also look at a list of healthy foods.
Processed Foods and Health:
Nutritional Content: Processed foods, especially ultra-processed ones, are often high in calories, sugars, fats, and sodium while being low in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This imbalance contributes to overnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, leading to various health issues.
Health Consequences: Regular consumption of processed foods has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even certain cancers. The high glycemic index of many processed foods can lead to insulin resistance and related metabolic syndromes.
Additives and Ingredients: These foods often contain additives that enhance taste, shelf life, or appearance, but which might have adverse health effects over time, like artificial trans fats linked to heart disease.
Food Addiction:
Mechanism: Food addiction is often discussed in the context of highly palatable processed foods. These foods can trigger the brain's reward system similarly to drugs, leading to compulsive eating behaviors. Ingredients like sugar, salt, and fat are manipulated to maximize palatability, which can override normal satiety signals.
Scientific Debate: While not universally accepted, the concept of food addiction has gained traction. The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) has been developed to measure addiction-like eating behaviors, suggesting that for some individuals, certain foods might act similarly to addictive substances. Anyone who has been addicted to potato chips, ice cream, or chocolate can attest to their own food addiction.
Impact on Health: Food addiction can exacerbate the health issues associated with processed foods by leading to overeating, which in turn contributes to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. The cycle of addiction can make it difficult for individuals to adhere to healthier eating patterns.
Public Sentiment and Research
Research Trends: Recent studies and reviews continue to explore the direct links between ultra-processed food consumption and various health outcomes, including mental health. There's an ongoing effort to understand not just the physical but also the psychological impacts, like depression and anxiety, potentially linked to diet.
Health Disparities: Emerging research points to health disparities, where certain demographics might have higher rates of food addiction due to food insecurity or limited access to nutritious foods, and low income families that tend to buy cheap food, which equals to fast-food or junk food.
Here are 20 popular foods that are often categorized as ultra-processed due to their formulation, including the use of additives, preservatives, flavors, and other industrial processes that significantly alter the natural food and are very unhealthy, and causes many chronic health issues:
Unhealthy foods list:
Sugary Cereals - Like many popular breakfast cereals loaded with sugars, colors, and flavors.
Soft Drinks - Including colas and other sugary beverages with high fructose corn syrup, coloring, and preservatives.
Instant Noodles - Such as ramen, which often contain flavor enhancers, preservatives, and high amounts of sodium.
Hot Dogs - Processed meat products with various chemicals, preservatives, and flavorings.
Packaged Breads - Especially white bread, often containing preservatives, emulsifiers, and artificial flavors.
Chips - Snack chips, including potato chips, with high salt content, artificial flavors, and colors.
Candy - Most candies, which are high in sugar, artificial colors, and flavors.
Frozen Dinners - Pre-prepared meals with a mix of preservatives, stabilizers, and high sodium content.
Packaged Cookies - Cookies from brands like Oreos or Chips Ahoy, full of sugars, trans fats, and artificial flavors.
Ice Cream - Particularly mass-produced ice creams that include high amounts of sugar, artificial flavors, and stabilizers.
Margarine - Often contains trans fats, flavors, and colors.
Doughnuts - Store-bought or fast food doughnuts, high in sugars, trans fats, and preservatives.
Energy Bars - Many are ultra-processed with added sugars, proteins isolates, and artificial flavors.
Crackers - Such as Ritz or similar, which are high in sodium and often contain trans fats.
Cereal Bars - Like granola bars, which might seem healthy but often contain high sugars and artificial ingredients.
Frozen Pizza - Pre-made pizzas with preservatives, artificial cheeses, and processed meats.
Cheese Puffs - Like Cheetos, with high levels of artificial flavors, colors, and fats.
Microwave Popcorn - Often contains artificial flavors, preservatives, and high salt content.
Processed Cheeses - Products like American singles, with emulsifiers, artificial colors, and flavors.
Ready-to-Drink Coffee or Tea - Bottled or canned beverages often loaded with sugars or artificial sweeteners, flavors, and preservatives.
These foods are products of extensive industrial processing, which typically involves not just cooking but also adding multiple ingredients designed to enhance flavor, extend shelf life, or improve the texture, making them significantly unhealthy compared to whole or minimally processed foods.
Now, let’s look at a list of 20 foods that are generally considered healthy and minimally processed, meaning they are either whole foods or those that undergo minimal processing that doesn't significantly alter their nutritional profile and all these foods are organic, without any pesticides.
Healthy foods List:
Apples - Fresh apples are simple to eat and contain fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Broccoli - A cruciferous vegetable rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, typically eaten fresh or lightly steamed.
Brown Rice - A whole grain that retains the bran and germ, offering more nutrients than white rice.
Lentils - These legumes are a great source of protein, fiber, and various nutrients, typically cooked from dry.
Spinach - Can be eaten raw or slightly cooked, packed with iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C.
Almonds - These nuts are a good source of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamin E.
Salmon - Preferably wild-caught, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality proteins, and vitamins D and B.
Avocado - High in healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, potassium, and vitamin K.
Sweet Potatoes - A root vegetable with high vitamin A content, fiber, and antioxidants.
Blueberries - Full of antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, along with vitamin C and fiber.
Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) - Used in various dishes, high in protein, fiber, and minerals.
Oat bran - Whole oats and bran are minimally processed and rich in fiber, particularly beta-glucan.
Kale - Another leafy green with high levels of vitamins A, K, and C, and antioxidants.
Quinoa - A pseudo-cereal that's gluten-free, high in protein, and provides all essential amino acids.
Tomatoes - Fresh tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, and the antioxidant lycopene.
Yogurt - Natural, plain yogurt, especially if made from grass-fed milk, is rich in probiotics, calcium, and protein.
Olives - Although slightly processed with brine or oil, olives are packed with healthy fats and antioxidants.
Beets - Root vegetables rich in folate, manganese, potassium, and nitrates.
Walnuts - Known for their high content of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber.
Eggs - Particularly from pasture-raised chickens, eggs are a complete protein source with vitamins and minerals.
Of course these two food lists are not conclusive. It’s just an idea of healthy and unhealthy foods.
Conclusion:
The correlation between processed foods, health issues, and food addiction is complex but increasingly documented. Processed foods, by design, can lead to overeating due to their palatability and additives, directly contributing to numerous health problems. Food addiction provides a framework for understanding why some individuals struggle with controlling their intake of these foods, despite knowing the health risks. Ultra processed foods are dangerous and bad for your health. The best way to get healthy is to eat all natural organic foods. The switch can add years to your life. And the effort to eat healthy is certainly worth it.
American Psychological Association on food addictions
Devine Intervention Inner Healing Center website
Life Coaching Available (Free consultation)