Is eating too much "ultra-processed food" sad and damaging to your brain? Nutritionists teach "alternative eating methods" to reduce risks
Eating too many cans of biscuits makes you sad and brain-damaging? What are ultra-processed foods?
Eating too many snacks and biscuits will not only make you gain weight, but also make you sad and brain-damaging? Recent research in international journals points out that excessive intake of “ultra-processed foods” may not only lead to obesity and cardiovascular disease, but may also cause cognitive function decline and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Nutritionists remind the public that the public should understand the degree of processing of food and develop the habit of reading nutrition labels. If it contains a variety of unknown additives, they should try to avoid it when selecting.
Nutritionist Jian Yuhua accepted an exclusive interview with “healthorn” and explained that according to the international “NOVA Food Classification”, the first category is unprocessed six categories of food, which is the most recommended food source; the second category is the use of oil and salt in the cooking process. seasonings for processing and cooking; the third category is processed foods, including canned products (canned vegetables and canned fruits and vegetables), and some packaged nut products with added sugar and oil.
The fourth category is the so-called “ultra-processed foods”, including pastries, biscuits, ice cream, instant sauce preparation kits, etc. In order to satisfy seasoning and convenience, this type of ultra-processed food contains more additives and has higher calories than the first three types of food. However, it has low nutritional value and is basically an “empty calorie food.” Excessive intake will not only make you fat, but may also increase cardiovascular disease. It is not recommended as the main source of daily diet.
Is eating ultra-processed food easy to gain weight? “Empty calorie foods” make the feeling of satiety disappear quickly
Nutritionist Jian Yuhua pointed out that a trial on the intake of ultra-processed foods found that when healthy adults ate ultra-processed foods for three meals a day, their average daily caloric intake was as high as 3,000 calories, and the subjects gained 1 weight in two weeks. Kilogram. However, when the diet was adjusted to focus on prototype foods, the subjects’ weight decreased significantly, which also revealed that as long as they adjust their eating habits and eat less processed foods, there is a chance to achieve weight control.
Nutritionist Jian Yuhua said that when the body takes a balanced intake of three major nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fibers, overall digestion and post-meal satiety are better maintained. Compared with ultra-processed foods, it is absolutely Most of the nutritional components are single nutrients, which are generally high in fat, high in carbohydrates and low in fiber, which can easily lead to a feeling of satiety after eating that “comes and goes quickly”, and this unit of calories is high. They also feel hungry easily and need to eat their next meal quickly, leading to a vicious cycle of continuous intake of high-calorie foods.
Are Processed Food Additives Harmful to Your Health? If you don’t understand more than 3 types, buy less.
In addition, ultra-processed foods need to add different types of food additives in order to extend the shelf life, adjust the taste, or make the food sticky and visually delicious. Although the dosage of these additives does not violate food additive regulations, they can be high for a long time. Taking it into the body frequently and neglecting a balanced mix may cause the risk of negative health effects.
Due to the wide variety of food additives, nutritionist Jian Yuhua reminds that when you are unable to know whether the product is ultra-processed food, you can pay more attention to the food ingredients. If you want to avoid the chance of selecting, you can find more than 3 kinds of ingredients or added If the ingredients are unclear or it is difficult to identify the effects of the additives, it is recommended to reduce intake or reduce the frequency to avoid affecting health.
Eating ultra-processed foods can cause eyebrows to grow! Make good use of “food substitution” to reduce harmful risks
Nutritionist Jian Yuhua said that most people will eat ultra-processed foods to some extent, such as common instant noodles and dried fruits. The most important thing is whether the “eating method” is combined with other healthy methods to reduce risks. Taking instant noodles as an example, it can be paired with vegetables and meat to increase the intake of fiber and polyphenols and help the body excrete harmful ingredients.
Making good use of food substitutions is also a way to reduce the risk of processed additives. For example, nutritionist Jian Yuhua said that when eating ham omelettes, you can replace the ham with similar foods such as pork chops or eggs. If you want to eat sweet soup, you can boil mung beans, peanuts, and barley instead of canned sweet soup. Or use supermarket fruits or bananas instead of packaged dried fruits.
Nutritionist Jian Yuhua reminds that the quality of food sources is a relative comparison, and you should try to choose as little processed food as possible within the controllable range. In particular, long-term intake of processed foods or ultra-processed foods may cause cumulative damage to the intestines and increase the risk of polyps and lesions. For those who like to eat ultra-processed foods, it is recommended to start by reducing their intake and then gradually reduce their intake of processed foods. This will be good for both body shape and health.
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