September 11, 2024 – You could have been warned about this highly processed foods can harm your health. But not all are created equal.
A recent one study from The Lancet Regional Health – Americas examined various kinds of highly processed foods and located that some were even related to lower risk Cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart diseaseAnd stroke.
“Avoiding all highly processed foods is not practical for most people,” said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, cardiologist, public health scientist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University. “Therefore, within the overall processing category, it is helpful to understand which foods might be more or less harmful.”
Researchers analyzed food questionnaires from three large groups of U.S. adultswith the general public of their review being white and feminine. The study found that sugary and artificially sweetened drinks and processed meats are linked to the next risk of heart problems and coronary heart disease. But cereal, savory snacks, and yogurt- and milk-based desserts were related to a lower risk of those diseases. Highly processed grains and bread have also been linked to a lower risk of stroke.
“We know that sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with metabolic disorders, for example due to higher glucose levels, Insulin resistancevisceral obesity, Prediabetes, diabetesAnd higher triglycerides“said Dr. Ashish Sarraju, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. “The added sugar associated with all of these things is, in turn, a risk factor for heart disease.” Sugar-sweetened drinks often contain very high levels of sugar, artificial colours and other additives, and almost “nothing useful” by way of ingredients, Mozaffarian said. “They are also consumed very quickly in very high doses.”
Processed meat has a 400% higher salt content in comparison with unprocessed meat, Mozaffarian said. They also contain a high proportion of additives Nitratesthat are carcinogenic (a substance that may cause cancer) and may damage the guts and blood vessels. Certain highly processed foods, akin to: Some foods, akin to bacon, are sometimes fried at extremely high temperatures, which might result in triggers flammable Connections.
“When you put the inflammatory effects, the salt and the nitrates together, it's a food package that can really do harm,” Mozaffarian said. The World Health Organization did too classified He noted that processed meat (bacon, ham, salami) is a Group 1 carcinogen.
“Processed meats are typically high in saturated fats, sodium and preservatives, which can increase blood pressure, promote inflammation and have negative effects cholesterol Levels that lead to a higher risk of coronary artery disease, said Joseph A. Daibes, DO, an interventional cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital. “The study highlights the importance of limiting these types of foods to reduce cardiovascular risk.”
But considering that breakfast cereals — albeit highly processed — are the first source of whole grains for Americans, it is smart that they're related to a lower risk of heart disease, Mozaffarian said.
“They have fiber, bran, whole grains and also sugar and additives,” he said. “But on average, when you put all of these things together, this study suggests that the net effect is positive. “It couldn't be more beneficial if we processed them less, but they don't seem to cause any harm.”
The active one Probiotics and fermentation in yogurt may make it a healthy snack of choice as more and more research shows that fermented foods with probiotics are good for heart health and work against metabolic diseases or a range of conditions that can increase the risk of stroke, heart disease and type- 2-Diabetes, said Mozaffarian.
Savory snacks, cereals, and yogurt- and milk-based desserts may also contain fewer calories than sugary drinks and processed meats, Daibes said.
“In addition, the type of fat used in savory snacks and the presence of probiotics in yogurt may have neutral or even positive effects on heart health, in contrast to the harmful fats and additives found in many highly processed foods,” he said .
How highly processed foods can harm your health
According to Daibes, there are “clear and worrying links” between the consumption of highly processed foods and the event of heart disease. “In clinical practice, it's a pretty clear and straightforward connection: patients who tend to have poorer diets and consume more highly processed and nutrient-poor foods tend to have worse health outcomes, both cardiovascular and otherwise,” he said.
Food processing focuses on breaking down the natural structures of foods in addition to the lack of their natural nutrients, Mozaffarian explained. When you employ the word “ultra” it refers back to the use of commercial additives.
“I think refined starches (like wheat, corn and rice) and sugar are among the most damaging because they cause a sharp increase in blood sugar levels,” Mozaffarian said. “Plus, these refined starches and sugars are digested so quickly in the stomach and small intestine that the gut bacteria in the large intestine are starved.”
Many “good ingredients” akin to fermentable fibers and bioactive compounds are present in unprocessed, whole foods akin to fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and seeds, Mozaffarian noted. High salt levels in highly processed foods are a priority, as are other additives akin to artificial flavors, sweeteners and thickeners.
Choose whole foods
There could also be individuals who need to eat cleaner, unprocessed food, but high costs and lack of access to it could create challenges. Sarraju advises his patients to easily do their best, eat whole-ingredient foods and avoid prepackaged foods as much as possible.