Processed food theory

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Processed Food Theory!

Lets explore the NOVA food classifications!

Unprocessed or minimally processed food!

The naturally edible food portions of plants and animals are considered unprocessed foods. Foods that are little processed have undergone minor modifications to facilitate their storage, preparation, and consumption. This processing level's ability to maintain the food's nutritional value is one of its main advantages.

Processed culinary ingredients!

This category comprises culinary ingredients that are pressed, refined, ground, or milled in kitchens to prepare and season foods that are sourced from minimally processed sources. Usually, they are used to prepare other foods rather than being consumed on their own.

Processed food!

This category includes foods whose flavor and texture have been improved or whose durability has been increased through processing. Foods that have been processed are derived from the two categories mentioned above but also contain fat, sugar, and/or salt. Examples include some cheeses, newly baked bread, tinned fish, and some fruits and vegetables. These foods can be easily consumed without additional preparation and are often created with two to three ingredients.

Ultra-processed food

Often known as "highly processed foods," these are the foods from the previous category that contain artificial sweeteners, thickeners, emulsifiers, colors, and flavors in addition to preservatives, thickeners, and preservers that improve texture, shelf life, and palatability. An ultra-processed food is one that has undergone numerous processing stages with numerous ingredients. They are inexpensive and extremely profitable since they are frequently mass-produced using inexpensive ingredients. There is conjecture that some foods are intentionally formulated to heighten desires, hence encouraging overindulgence and subsequent purchases.

Important note!

“There is some controversy on how to properly define UPFs. The simple rule of thumb is that if it contains ingredients you don’t have and processing that you can’t do in a home kitchen then it probably qualifies,” said neuro-scientist Tara Thiagarajan, founder of Sapiens Labs.

So why are processed foods sooo bad?

Increased cancer risk. A five-year study involving more than 100,000 participants revealed that a 12 percent increased risk of cancer was linked to every 10% rise in ultra-processed food consumption.

Too much sugar, sodium and fat. Foods with a lot of processing frequently have unhealthy amounts of fat, sodium, and sugar added. Although these ingredients improve the flavor of the food we eat, consuming too much of them can have major negative health effects, including diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure.
Lacking in nutritional value. Since many foods today are stripped of their essential nutrients by heavy processing, they are often fortified with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Calorie-dense and addicting. It's very simple to overindulge in unhealthy food and underestimate how many calories we're consuming. For instance, a full cup of green beans has only 44 calories, compared to roughly 50 in an Oreo cookie. These kinds of processed foods are also meant to activate the dopaminergic portion of our brains, which makes us want more of them later on.
Quicker to digest. Compared to unprocessed, whole foods, processed foods are easier to digest. This implies that while digesting them, our bodies expend less energy (hint: calories). Digestion of processed food is thought to burn half as many calories as digestion of unprocessed food. This information, along with the high calorie content of processed foods generally, can contribute to weight gain.
Full of artificial ingredients. Approximately five thousand additional chemicals are added to our food. Except for the company that uses them, the majority of them have never been put through testing. This covers ingredients like preservatives and sweeteners as well as additives to alter color, texture, flavor, and odor.

It makes me stupider?!

A US National Library of Medicine study investigated the effect of dietary habits of adolescents on their school performance. Frequent consumption of unprocessed food were associated with higher school performance, while daily intakes of UPF was linked with poor school performance.

For example participants who consumed soft drinks daily were 2.38 times more likely to perform poorer academically. Similar trends were observed in the consumption of foods such as fast food, confectioneries and instant noodles, while products such as milk, fruits and vegetables showed positive correlations with academic performance.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4998375/

Processed Foods affect your mental health!

Recently, a link was found between our mental wellbeing and consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Here are some key findings:

Frequent use of UPF causes a significant decline in mental wellbeing. Individuals who take UPF multiple times daily have a threefold increased risk of experiencing significant mental health issues in comparison to those who take it infrequently or never.

Increased UPF consumption affects every aspect of mental health, including cognition, resilience, and adaptability.

Higher frequency UPF consumption is correlated with symptoms of depression and issues with cognitive and emotional regulation.

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