When you pick up a cigarette packet, the warning is clear: Smoking causes lung cancer and other health issues. Reach for a bottle of alcohol, and you’re met with labels warning of its harm. Yet in grocery stores, we—and our children—can grab ultra-processed foods (UPFs) without a single warning about their potential health consequences.
What Are UPFs?
Would your great-grandmother recognize what you’re eating as food? Can it be planted, or does it have a mother? If the answer is no, chances are you’re consuming a highly processed version of something that was once meant to nourish and fuel us.UPFs, as defined by the Nova classification, include items such as packaged snacks, soft drinks, instant noodles, and ready-made meals. These products are made from chemically altered food extracts and additives designed to improve flavor, texture, and shelf life.
Addressing Anxiety and Depression
A 2022 meta-analysis found a link between ultra-processed food consumption and mental health. Those with higher UPF intake had a 53 percent greater likelihood of experiencing symptoms of both depression and anxiety. When examined separately, the risks were still high: 44 percent higher for depression and 48 percent higher for anxiety.Research shows that higher consumption of artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, and flavor enhancers, such as monosodium glutamate—both common in UPFs—disrupts neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation, including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (which increases alertness and focus).
Various pathways may explain the connection to depression and anxiety, including increased inflammation and changes to the gut microbiome caused by UPFs.
High UPF intake may disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, a condition known as gut dysbiosis. This imbalance negatively affects the gut-brain axis, reducing the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which are critical for mood regulation, Gentile said. Serotonin helps stabilize emotions and promotes feelings of well-being and happiness. Low serotonin levels are often associated with mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.
UPFs also contain nonessential nutrients that barely resemble any kind of food, Lena Beal, a registered dietitian nutritionist, told The Epoch Times.
They tend to replace healthier options such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds in diets. This leads to a lower intake of beneficial compounds such as polyphenols, fiber, and omega-3s, which can contribute to chronic diseases such as anxiety and depression through inflammatory processes.
UPFs are also high in sodium, trans fats, sugar, and refined starches, all of which can increase inflammation and interfere with serotonin production.
Addiction at Play
UPFs are packed with additives that boost flavor and appearance, making them hard to resist and potentially addictive. Some of these additives interfere with brain areas involved in addiction, such as the amygdala and hippocampus, Gentile explained.How to Reduce Consumption
Authors of the BMJ review have called for urgent further research and the development of public health strategies, including government-led policies and updated dietary guidelines, to reduce ultra-processed food consumption and improve human health. Meanwhile, the author of an editorial published in Archives of Disease in Childhood concluded that UPF labels should feature ingredient health warnings, with strong recommendations to prioritize unprocessed whole foods for better health.- Transition gradually: Start by replacing one processed meal or snack per day with a whole food alternative. Adding healthy options rather than eliminating favorites can make the change feel more manageable and less restrictive.
- Cook more meals at home: Use simple recipes to control ingredients and avoid additives. Prepare meals in bulk and freeze portions to reduce reliance on packaged foods. Quick-prep methods such as sheet-pan dinners, slow cookers, or instant pots can save time.
- Replace UPF snacks with whole food alternatives: Fresh fruit, yogurt with honey, homemade trail mix, nuts, seeds, air-popped popcorn with spices, and whole-grain crackers with hummus are less processed. Keep these options easily accessible to curb cravings for ultra-processed snacks.
- Indulge occasionally: Enjoy your favorite UPFs from time to time, but balance them with a diet primarily made up of whole foods.
- Get support: Involve family or friends in meal planning and cooking. Making it a shared experience can help keep you motivated.
- Treat food and cooking as an adventure: Explore new ingredients, cooking methods, or cuisines to keep meals exciting and fresh.
“Remember, small changes add up,” Gentile said. “It’s not about eliminating every UPF but about making consistent improvements. It’s a journey, not a quick fix.”
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