Ultra-Processed Food is a Bad Buffet for your Mental Health
In my work as a neuroeducator, I come across stories about our miraculous mind that fire my curiosity. Every week, I share my thoughts about how to work smart to amplify your organic potential, develop a growth mindset, and foster your brain health. I hope you enjoy them! (scroll down to read more)
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Homemade Pie? Absolutely! Just don’t go for the Twinkie.
How many of you are regretting indulging in the Thanksgiving buffet? You may be in better shape than you think, UNLESS you grabbed a bite of junk food to get you through to dinner.
Ultra-processed food is not only bad for your body, but can tank your mood, mental clarity and ability to think.
Worse yet, it contributes to mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, loss of sleep, trauma and stress-related disorders, and addiction-related disorders such as food and alcohol use addictions, eating disorders…AND vascular dementia.
Most of the “grab-and-go” foods favored by kids, college students, and rushed adults satisfy cravings driven by the ancient brain. Centuries ago we desperately needed salt, fat, and sweet foods to survive. They were hard to find, so our instincts drove us to search them out.
And junk food manufacturers know it. They have made a science of appealing to this ancient craving to boost their sales. The number of ultra-processed foods are increasing, so get ready to have more unhealthy options you’ll need to say no to. This is a multi-billion dollar industry that is preying on ingrained human weakness.
Ultra-processed foods include things like packaged cereals, soda, candy, energy bars, frozen meals, and fruit-flavored yogurt. They are full of additives that are not remotely natural. Homemade food tends to be made from scratch and includes more clean or minimally processed ingredients.
How many kids have you known that will only eat chicken nuggets made of some mystery meat when you’re traveling? McNuggets contain 30 ingredients even if we charitably count “spices” as just one. Ugh!
Scientific research shows that the more processed the food, the greater the risk to your brain and mental health. Based on an extensive body of evidence, the statistics are staggering.
Anxiety spikes 48%
Depression rises by 50%
Cognitive decline occurs 28% faster
Increase in trauma and stress related disorders
Addictions are more prevalent
Eating disorders are more common
Sleep disruption occurs
A meta-analysis of 19 studies that included 385,541 participants found a link between ultra-processed food and mental health disorders. This is also found in other studies from Harvard. The risk of anxiety spiked 48% and depression rose 50%. Another study shows cognitive decline occurs 28% faster in people, even when only 20 percent of their diet consists of ultra-processed food. (click on the links to see the studies)
This is a global issue.
In 28 countries, an average of 37% of daily energy intake is based on the consumption of ultra-processed food. If a mere 20% of your diet is ultra-processed food, you are likely to have a 28% faster cognitive decline than average. For perspective, the global average is almost DOUBLE that.
ALERT! As earth natives, we are literally poisoning our minds by what we put in our mouth.
So what makes a food ultra-processed?
The difference between unprocessed, minimally processed, and ultra-processed foods can be confusing. Harvard recommends using the online article by Everyday Health to get a detailed scientific guide.
To negotiate this simply, think about how close it is to the original whole food.
For example, corn on the cob from your local farmer (unprocessed) vs. canned corn (processed) vs. corn chips (ultra-processed).
Ultra-processed foods contain five or more ingredients, and include artificial additives rarely used while cooking at home.
Junk food has the greatest impact on vulnerable populations
Particularly disturbing is that the most vulnerable groups are faring the worst. Ultra-processed food is cheap and shelf-stable, so those who are poor or homeless are the most frequent consumers. It is also highly palatable, so children who don’t know any better and those with addictive tendencies are more vulnerable as well.
If you have ever been in line at the grocery store with a young child who wants all the candy displayed, you know exactly what I mean.
Most parents at Havern School, an excellent school designed for neurodiverse children, have figured this out on their own. Many conversations can be heard around the profound impact of diet on the behavior and severity of their children’s challenges. Their solution? They buy and cook clean, healthy meals without any kind of preservatives or additives. (to donate to this worthy cause for kids’ scholarships, click here. )
This is challenging during the holidays when the increased availability of ultra-processed junk food takes on cute marketing tactics. Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes has at least 40 ingredients, that include dyes, preservatives, and highly processed main ingredients. You can get six snacks for only $2.79, by the way.
Why are additives so bad?
Additives interfere with the release of brain chemicals we rely on for our well-being. Both the production and release of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin may be affected by artificial sweeteners and flavor enhancers like monosodium glutamate (MSG). These are our “feel good” hormones which explains why the lack of them can increase depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders.
To make it worse, scientists believe they may be addictive.
“Ultra-processed foods have more in common with a cigarette than foods by Mother Nature,”
-Ashley Gearhardt, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Increased risk of Mental Health Challenges
The bottom line is that ultra-processed foods are contributing to one of the greatest causes of global burden, which is mental disorders. Mental health has not improved since 1990 despite more treatment options. Consequently, world health advocates are calling for inclusion of mental disorders alongside cancer, diabetes, respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
These mental health challenges include depression and anxiety, trauma and stress-related disorders, and addiction-related disorders such as food and alcohol use addictions and eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder).
Healthy Holiday Feasting Tips (to be continued…year around, in my opinion)
Fresh is best and fueling wisely from home is the best way to generate a brain healthy diet. This is also wise financially, preserves time spent dashing through drive-throughs, and encourages deeper connection with your family at home. Creating a habit of prepping ahead with a stocked pantry of brain healthy foods can relieve the stress of getting to the end of a long day hungry with a bare fridge. There are many sources for easy recipes online, but I also recommend guidance from your favorite experts in healthy cuisine, like Denver-based culinary nutritionist, Michelle Fox. Follow them for the best tips on maintaining a healthy and delicious diet. I learned tricks on my own from a young age for substituting healthy options (thanks, Mom!) and with a subscription to Cooking Light. I have a giant library of cookbooks, but in a pinch, I will put the ingredients I have in my fridge into a search engine to see what delicious recipes pop up online.
Basic rules for grocery visits:
When stocking up for grab-and-go options, opt for:
Fresh fruit and vegetables (frozen also, but check for additives)
Items with less than five ingredients
Avoid artificial additives (preservatives, colors, texturizing agents, and smell and taste enhancers such as artificial sweeteners.
If you can’t identify it as a food, it is likely an additive and best avoided.
For quick meals:
Go clean and simple
Look for Mediterranean diet recipes
Anti-inflammatory meals
Go organic when possible
Wash thoroughly to remove pesticides and toxins from the fields.
Prepare ahead to streamline clean cooking for the week
While eating clean is more challenging when that bag of chips is calling your name in the check-out line, your mental health is worth it.
Embrace homemade holiday fare in the scramble this season. There is no need to stuff yourself like the turkey on the table, but it’s time to recognize the beauty of home cooked meals.
Clean and simple home cooking feeds the body, mind, and soul of those most dear.
Because…without your health, you have nothing.
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