Ultra-Processed Foods: A Threat to Your Brain and Body

What is The Difference Between Processed Food and Ultra Processed Foods?

The terms "processed" and "ultra-processed" are often used interchangeably. But there's a distinction between the two.

Processed Foods

These undergo minimal processing to preserve or enhance flavour, texture, or safety.

Some examples of processed foods are canned fruits and vegetables, frozen fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, cheese, and bread.

Ultra Processed Foods

These undergo extensive processing involving multiple chemical and industrial processes. They often contain added substances like artificial flavours, colours, sweeteners and preservatives. They are entirely designed for long shelf life and convenience.

Some examples of ultra-processed foods are packaged snacks like chips and cookies, ready-to-eat meals like frozen dinners and instant noodles, sugary beverages like sodas and sports drinks, processed meats like hot dogs and sausages, and bakery items like packaged bread and doughnuts.

The key differences between the above categories are;

• Level of Processing: Ultra-processed foods undergo more processing.
• Ingredients: Ultra-processed foods often contain a longer list of ingredients, such as additives.
• Nutritional Value: Processed foods retain more nutrient value than ultra-processed foods.
• Health Impact: Though both categories pose a health risk, ultra-processed foods are linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Research suggests that between 60% and 90% of the Standard American Diet now consists of foods and beverages that are highly processed.

"When a food undergoes processing, each step of processing loses a significant amount of vitamins, minerals and fibres", says Dr Aswathy Krishnan.

Sure, a Mediterranean-style diet that loads your plate with vegetables, fruits, fish, healthful oils, and grains boosts heart and brain health. But if you also eat ultra-processed foods, is that bad for your brain and whole body health? Find out!

The Addictive Nature of UPFs and Their Impact on Food Choices

Researchers are proposing a new mental-health condition called “ultra-processed food use disorder."

While the term "addictive" is often debated concerning food, there's growing evidence that suggests that UPFs are highly palatable and rewarding, leading to increased consumption and difficulty in moderation.

How Do UPFs Become Addictive?

UPFs are packed with calories, providing a quick burst of reinforcing energy.

• A careful balance of sweet, salty and fatty components in the UPFs is highly appealing to the palate.
• The food marketing industry uses sophisticated techniques to create cravings that promote overconsumption of UPFs.
• UPFs trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with reward and pleasure. This makes them addictive. (1)

"The addictive nature of UPFs disrupts healthy eating habits, leading to increased consumption and displacement of nutrient-dense foods ', says Dr Aswathy Krishnan.

Why Should You Be Away From UPFs?

“Exposure to ultra-processed foods gives you a 71% higher risk of adverse health conditions.” - British Medical Journal

The chemistry that pushes you towards these unwanted health conditions is poorer nutrient profiles, higher added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium levels, higher energy density, and lower fibre, protein, and micronutrients. 

Consuming UPFs displace more nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, including polyphenols or phytoestrogens. Eventually, you start forgetting the good food. Such nutrient-poor dietary profiles have been implicated in the prevalence and incidence of chronic diseases through various pathways, including inflammatory mechanisms.

The adverse health outcomes associated with ultra-processed foods may not be fully explained by their nutrient composition and energy density alone but also by physical and chemical properties associated with industrial processing methods, ingredients, and by-products.

“The International Agency for Research on Cancer recently classified the non-sugar sweetener aspartame as possibly carcinogenic to humans.” - The Lancet

What Health Conditions Will You Be Prone To?

Various studies suggest that a number of health conditions build up in the body over a period of consumption of ultra-processed foods. 

1. Cognitive Impairment

A 10% increase in UPFs eaten is associated with a 16% higher risk of cognitive impairment. People who often consume soft drinks and chips experience memory and thinking problems and have a risk of experiencing a stroke, as per the American Academy of Neurology.

1. Stroke

A Research followed over 30,000 participants 45 years or older for an average of 11 years and found that 20,243 experienced strokes. The excessive sodium and unhealthy fats in the UPFs elevate blood pressure and unwanted cholesterol levels, which increase the strain on the heart and blood vessels, causing stroke.

1. Weight Gain

UPFs are high in calories and low in nutrients. They contain high calories from added sugars, unhealthy fats and refined grains but lack essential nutrients like fibre, vitamins, and minerals. This imbalance causes weight gain and nutrient deficiencies. (2)

A large cohort study of participants aged 40-69 years found that higher UPF consumption is associated with a ≥ 5% increase in BMI from baseline to follow-up after 5.8 years and a significantly higher risk of developing overweight and obesity.

1. Hormonal Disruption

UPFs are often packaged in materials that contain Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), such as phthalates and bisphenols (plastic products). 

Nearly 100% of the U.S. population is exposed to phthalates daily. 

A preliminary analysis of items from U.S. fast food chains found detectable levels of phthalates and other plasticisers in food items and food handling gloves, which may be a source of contamination.  

EDCs have been associated with weight gain, stimulation of fat cells, and predisposition to metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes.

1. Chronic Inflammation

UPFs impact hormones and the human gut microbiome, causing inflammation. Inflammation drives metabolic diseases, including diabetes, cancer, dementia, autoimmune diseases, anxiety and many mental health conditions. (3)

1. Neurotoxicity

Certain additives like artificial sweeteners and food dyes are neurotoxic, which means they are toxic to nerve cells. The increased inflammatory chemicals produced from the consumption of UPFs cause and oxidative stress on the nerve cell coverings, thus affecting the signals in the brain negatively. Your nerve cells start functioning like a broken circuit.

1. Gut Microbiome Disruption

Ultra-processed foods disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome. An unhealthy microbiome in the intestines is linked with inflammation and impaired immune function, causing increased risk of conditions like IBS, IBD and colorectal cancer. UPFs also lead to an altered brain function. This can, in turn, have a detrimental effect on the gut-brain axis influencing your brain function. (4)

The health changes and adverse effects of UPFs can even be transferred to later generations via epigenetic change. (If your DNA is your blueprint, then epigenetics is like adding notes on that blueprint without changing the original design, which plays a role in diseases like cancer, diabetes and the mental health of future generations) 

How Ultra-processed Foods Harm Your Brain?

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can negatively impact brain health in several ways:

• Blood Sugar Spikes: These foods are often high in rapidly digestible carbohydrates, leading to surges in blood sugar. Over time, this can impair brain function.
• Metabolic Issues: Frequent UPF consumption is linked to conditions like obesity, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, all of which can damage blood vessels and deprive the brain of essential nutrients.
• Gut Inflammation: Certain additives in UPFs can disrupt the gut microbiome, leading to inflammation. This inflammation can spread to the brain, potentially contributing to neurodegenerative diseases.
• Nutrient Deficiencies: UPFs are often low in essential nutrients, negatively impacting brain health and function.
• Hormonal Imbalances: Excessive consumption of UPFs may lead to hormonal imbalances, which can affect mood, memory, and cognitive function.
• Chronic Stress: The high sugar and unhealthy fat content in UPFs can trigger stress hormones, potentially damaging brain structures involved in memory and decision-making.
• Overeating: Due to their low nutritional value, UPFs often leave you hungry soon after eating, leading to overconsumption and its associated health risks.

People who follow a healthy diet (like a Mediterranean, DASH,  Ayurvedic Diet or MIND diet) and consume minimal ultra-processed foods, maintain better brain health than those who followed similar healthy diets but had more ultra-processed foods.

When Nirva clients started following an Ayurvedic Diet personalised and curated by Nirva experts for their body type, all cognitive symptoms such as brain fog, anxiety, stress and depression came down to 50%.

An Ayurvedic diet emphasises the balance of body energy (doshas). It goes beyond physical symptoms, considering mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being integral to overall health.

11 Worst Ultra Processed Foods to Avoid

Here are some of your favourite snacks, which are actually ultra-processed foods you have been bingeing on!

• Sweetened Breakfast Cereals
• Soda
• Flavoured Potato Chips
• White Bread
• Fried Chicken
• Flavoured Candy Bar with a Long Ingredient List
• Blended Coffee Drink
• Mashed Potato Flakes
• Energy Drink
• Flavoured Granola Bars with added sugar and preservatives
• Artificially flavoured cheese crackers

Want to find alternatives? Check out the Nirva app for some easy, homemade, healthy, and tasty recipes.

Ayurvedic Diet: A Pathway to "Sattvic Food"

According to Ayurveda, Sattvic foods are pure, nourishing, and uplifting. They promote clarity, focus, and calmness. These foods align with brain health as they provide sustained energy, support cognitive function, and reduce stress.

Characteristics of Sattvic Food

• Fresh and Unprocessed
• Light and Easy to Digest
• Rich in Vitamins, Minerals and Antioxidants
• Promote Balance and Clarity

Some of the examples are;

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Legumes
• Dairy products (in moderation)
• Ghee (clarified butter)
• Nuts and seeds

"Ayurveda places great importance on digestion, considering it the foundation of health. A healthy gut is essential for proper nutrient absorption, immune function, and mental well-being."—Dr Ashwathy Krishnan.

Key Ayurvedic Dietary Principles for Gut Health

• Eat according to your hunger calls.
• Chew food thoroughly.
• Avoid overeating.
• Incorporate digestive spices like cumin, coriander, and ginger.
• Practise mindful eating.
• Never eat stomach full.
• Always follow moderation in all kinds of food.
• Incorporate all types of taste in a plate.

Ayurveda also recommends specific herbs and dietary adjustments based on an individual's dosha to support digestion and gut health.

You can read more about Ayurvedic dietary habits in this blog, "The Ultimate Guide to Cultivating Healthy Food Habits for a Balanced Lifestyle."

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to get on a one-on-one call with our Nirva health experts, who will guide you through your food choices.

The Take-Home Message

Opt for whole, natural foods. Avoid processed options like chips, cookies, packaged baked goods, sugary drinks, instant meals, and processed meats. Instead, build your meals around wholesome ingredients such as fish, olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains, similar to am Ayurvedic diet.