This post has been updated since it was originally published on 08/12/2022 to include more expert insight.
As you may already know, eating nutrient-dense food is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Aside from staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep, it’s important that you nourish your body with the proper vitamins and nutrients it needs. What you consume greatly affects how your body functions, so you always want to be mindful of what you eat.
With that in mind, it helps to understand the downside of ultra-processed foods. While they can be delicious, some of these processed foods are actually damaging to your health in more ways than one. According to an article by CNN Health, “A new study has revealed eating more ultra-processed foods may contribute to overall cognitive decline, including the areas of the brain involved in executive functioning—the ability to process information and make decisions.” Rudy Tanzi, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of the genetics and aging research unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston shared with CNN that ultra-processed foods “are usually very high in sugar, salt and fat, all of which promote systemic inflammation, perhaps the most major threat to healthy aging in the body and brain.” Several experts reveal that not only are they bad for your brain, but they also affect your metabolism and energy levels.
So, what kind of ultra-processed foods should you avoid exactly? We asked Lisa Richards, nutritionist and creator of the Candida Diet, registered dietitian Katelyn Brockmiller, Krutika Nanavati, registered dietitian and nutritionist at ClinicSpots, and Dr. Amy Lee, board certified doctor in internal medicine, medical nutrition and obesity medicine and partner of Nucific to find out. Keep reading to know more.
Refined Carbs
According to Richards, "Refined carbs create a state of low-level inflammation in the body which causes a host of health issues, including declined cognitive function." She notes that white bread in particular is an item you should steer clear of because it "is made with refined carbohydrates and lacking in fiber and other beneficial nutrients." As a result, the refined carbs "turn to sugar quickly, causing a quick rise in glucose" and therefore makes you "experience fatigue and brain fog from the inflammatory nature of these ingredients."
Fried Food
Additionally, CNBC reports, "One study including 18,080 people found that a diet high in fried foods was linked to lower scores in learning and memory. The likely reason: These guilty pleasures cause inflammation, which can damage the blood vessels that supply the brain with blood."
Brockmiller explains, “Not only are fried foods high in calories and low in satiety, but they are also loaded with sodium. Sodium can increase bloating and water retention which can limit weight loss.”
Alcohol
Dr. Lee points out, "If you look at the caloric density of a serving of alcohol, the calories ranges from 70-160 calories which in all reality isn’t that high. [But when we put alcohol into the body], the immune system kicks in to attempt to get rid of it whole slowing down on other metabolic pathways (such as burning calories)."
Diet Soda
"Many turn to diet sodas to reduce their calorie intake and thereby, hopefully, lead to weight loss. Unfortunately, these drinks can often lead to unwanted bloating, negating any weight loss that may occur," Richards mentions.
She continues, "Carbonation is known to lead to bloating, but diet sodas contain another component that leads to bloating; artificial sweeteners. Sucralose is the most common culprit of gas and bloating. Sucralose causes gastrointestinal irritation and bloating along with reducing the healthy gut bacteria. This bacteria helps to prevent bloating by improving overall gut health. Another side effect of artificial sweeteners is the likelihood that the consumer will overeat in the following meal. Artificial sweeteners are linked to overeating, another act that causes bloating.”
Another threat is that drinks like sodas and other sugary beverages contain excessive amounts of sugar. Nanavati states that "High sugar intake can cause inflammation in the brain, which has been linked to impaired learning and memory problems and a higher risk of developing conditions like dementia." Normally, drinks with high amounts of sugar can also be heavily processed, causing our blood sugar levels to spike up and then crash down.
Nanavati gave us alternative beverages we could drink besides diet sodas and other sugary drinks. "Opt for healthier beverages like herbal tea, coffee, green tea, etc. to protect brain function and overall cognitive well-being."
