Processed foods wage war on health

Q: I’ve heard about all the horrible things that ultraprocessed foods can do to you — but they are tough to avoid. Do I really need to be worried about eating them, or is it one more hysterical finding that will fade? — Cary T., Nashville

A: We have been writing and talking about the risks associated with eating ultra- and highly processed foods since the 1990s. They are stripped of nutrients and fiber and contain artificial ingredients that extend shelf life, make them have a better texture or flavor, or allow manufacturers to do things with the ingredients that Mother Nature never thought of. They often contain emulsifiersandotheradditives you cannot digest. That harms healthy gut bacteria.

Now a meta-review, published in BMJ, of data on almost 10 million people has concluded that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have “direct associations” with adverse outcomes to 32 health issues such as various cancers and mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic conditions.

— Convincing evidence showed eating UPFs was associated with around a 50% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, up to a 53% increased risk of anxiety and other common mental conditions, and a 12% increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.

— Evidence also is highly suggestive that eating processed foods is related to a 40% to 66% increased risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and sleep problems and a 22% increased risk of depression.

— They also found indications that eating UPFs was associated with some cancers, elevated lousy LDL, and low levels of good-for-you HDL.

If you want to avoid the risks associated with UPFs: Stick with fresh fruits and vegetables, fish like salmon and skinless poultry (no processed meats), and ditch sweetened (and artificially sweetened) beverages, and anything with items on the ingredients label that you can’t pronounce.

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook. com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb. com, the world’s leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively.