The process of giving up ultraprocessed foods

The Ultra Challenge is a series of running, jogging and walking events across Great Britain that’s raised over $20 million for more than 300 U.K. charities. The word “ultra” means “beyond” or “extreme,” but when it’s applied to fun and social sporting activities, it means you’ve found a great way to get in shape and give back to your community. However, when the word is applied to processed foods, the opposite is true.

Unfortunately, studies show that 58 percent of an American adult’s total diet comes from ultraprocessed foods.

These are manufactured products that, in addition to added salt, sugars and unhealthy fats and oils, include additives used to imitate the taste and texture of healthier whole foods. What does that mean for your health? A report published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that when ultraprocessed foods made up 30 per cent of a person’s diet, over the following seven years each 10 percent increase was linked with a 14 per cent higher risk of death.

So, junk food isn’t just fuel for obesity, high blood pressure, wrinkles, impotence and cancer, it also ups your risk of an early demise.

Detoxing from ultraprocessed foods is a process. You can begin by removing all sugar- and syrup-added beverages from your diet, and opting for one added serving of a fresh veggie and fruit a day. One bite at a time, you’ll get healthier.

Your tastes will change so that you love the food that’s good for you – and the foods that love you back! Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or

visit www.sharecare.com.