Everyone knows junk food isn’t good for you, but now scientists say eating stuff like hot dogs, sugary sodas, and white bread could make you live a shorter life Ultra-Processed Foods Dangers
This study, shown at the Nutrition 2024 conference in June, looked at over 500,000 people’s eating habits for 30 years. They found out that folks who ate lots of junk food were 10% more likely to die earlier than those who ate fresh food. Even people who weren’t overweight but still ate lots of junk food had a higher chance of dying.
So, what exactly are ultra-processed foods? They’re foods that are messed with a lot before you eat them. Here’s a quick guide:
- Unprocessed and minimally-processed foods: Fresh fruits, veggies, milk. They’re in their natural state or barely changed.
- Processed culinary ingredients: Things like almond flour or olive oil. These are made by grinding, pressing, or refining.
- Processed foods: Canned tuna, bagged veggies. They have stuff added like sugar or salt but aren’t too altered.
- Ultra-processed foods: These are full of extra things like fake colors, flavors, and preservatives. Think many packaged snacks.
Eating a lot of ultra-processed foods is linked to big health problems, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and some cancers. A 2022 study in JAMA Neurology showed that people eating 28% or more of their calories from these foods had a higher chance of getting dementia. Another study in The British Medical Journal found men who ate the most junk food had a 29% higher risk of getting colorectal cancer. Eating lots of junk food can also lead to chronic diseases or dying early, especially from heart problems.
A 2023 study in Diabetes Care found a diet high in ultra-processed foods is linked to a risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Sugary drinks are also bad news. A 2019 study in Circulation found women drinking two sugary drinks a day had a 63% higher risk of dying early, and men had a 29% higher risk.
The worst offenders are diet sodas, sugary sodas, white bread, and processed meats like hot dogs and sausages. Other bad guys are sauces, spreads, condiments, and ready-to-eat meals.
But don’t worry, not all ultra-processed foods are terrible. Some, like unsweetened applesauce, ultra-filtered milk, liquid egg whites, and certain raisins and canned tomatoes, are okay. It’s about quality. The problem with many junk foods is they can stop you from eating healthier stuff.
So, next time you reach for that hot dog or soda, think twice. Your body will thank you later
