How Does Ultra-processed Food Damage Our Brain
An old saying goes that a man is what he/she eats. Although it may not be completely accurate, the food you put into your body is an important factor for your health, and science continues to prove it. A study published in August 2023 in the Journal of Affective Disorders came to some startling conclusions about ultra-processed food.
It harms mental health and impairs cognitive function (the ability to learn, remember, reason and solve problems).
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That is, regularly eating ready-made and unhealthy food is not only harmful to your waistline, but also to your brain.
What is ultra-processed food?
According to nutritionists, this is any food that you cannot prepare in your own kitchen with the same ingredients listed on the package.
That food is prevalent in large chain restaurants and take up the most space on grocery store shelves. From crackers and sodas to jarred sauces, cereals, packaged breads and frozen meals, even ice cream, get into the category of ultra-processed food.
In 2009, Brazilian researchers categorized processed food on a four-point scale:
Unprocessed - fruit, vegetables, whole grains, etc.
Minimally processed - flour, white rice, etc.
Processed - animal fats and vegetable oils, sugar, dairy products, canned foods, smoked fish and meat, etc.
Ultra-processed – food containing chemical additives, artificial flavors, protein isolates, hydrogenated oils, high fructose syrup and preservatives.
Why is ultra-processed food bad for your mental health?
It tends to be high in calories, salt, sugar and fat, and low in fiber. But what is it that makes us feel depressed and apparently more stupid? The truth is that right now researchers are not 100% sure what causes the link between ultra-processed food and poor mental health, however, they have a few hypotheses:
- the effect of combining the many additives in the food we consume;
- many physicians consider depression to be an inflammatory disease and eating food deficient in valuable nutrients causes both inflammation and oxidative stress;
- the packaged food has a negative effect on intestinal bacteria;
- it contains compounds produced during food processing and artificial additives that affect the functioning of the neurotransmitters in the brain.
However, we should bear in mind that healthy eating is not always easy and cheap, and it is a well-known fact that when a person is stressed, anxious or depressed, they tend to eat more unhealthy food high in sugar, fat and chemical additives.
Therefore, prepare in advance for "bad" days
Plan your menu, cook in portions and have as much healthy, unprocessed food at disposal as possible. In this way, on "bad" days, you will at least have the opportunity to make healthier choices that will help your brain feel happier.
