We all have them in our cupboards and in our fridge. : cereals, biscuits, spreads, instant noodles, chips, sodas, nuggets, industrial cold cuts, dessert creams… Ultra-processed foods represent a third of our daily caloric intake, according to the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). It is even nearly 60 % of the average diet in the US and UK. Convenient, tasty and sometimes very affordable, everything suggests that they have many benefits. However, they are actually very bad for our health.
In his best-selling book Ultra-Processed Peoplewhich has been translated into French British doctor Chris Van Tulleken has carried out an edifying investigation into ultra-processed products which, according to the British dailyThe Timesgo “change what you eat
“.
In this book, he describes the processes used by manufacturers to make this food, and how the ingredients are modified, ground, recombined, enriched with all sorts of additives and preservatives to create foods that are pleasant and appetizing, improve texture and shelf life, while being devoid of any nutritional value. He takes the example of Pringles chips, which actually have very little potato in their composition but a list of 14 ingredients, including maltodextrin (a combination of carbohydrates), emulsifiers and colorings.
Very chemical lightChris Van Tulleken also points to light products, with less fat or less sugar, such as mayonnaise, vinaigrette or yogurts. […] These light versions have no beneficial effects on health.We are eating more of these products, and the molecules that replace fat have all sorts of direct harmful effects.
” he writes. Because replacing the oil in mayonnaise, the main ingredient, involves using even more dangerous chemical substitutes.“The packaging of ultra-processed products is often covered with reassuring nutritional information.: “ 50% of daily vitamin D intake“, “ 30% less sugar” However, almost all food products that claim to be healthy are ultra-processed foods.
“, says the British doctor.
How to recognize an ultra-processed product?
Inserm distinguishes three groups of foods. Raw or minimally processed products such as fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, milk, butter, oil, sugar or salt. Processed foods made from the above foodstuffs by simple processes, such as fresh bread, traditional cheese and cold cuts, jam, vegetables and canned fish.And finally, ultra-processed foods manufactured by industrial processes, containing additives, such as soda, breakfast cereals, industrial biscuits and cold cuts, nuggets or instant noodles.If the product is wrapped in plastic and contains at least one ingredient that is not found in our kitchen cupboard, it is an ultra-processed food. A broccoli or a cheese does not contain this kind of slogan on its packaging.
», adds Chris Van Tulleken.
Addictive like a drug To test the effect of an ultra-processed diet, the specialist ate 80 % of this kind of product for a month. The results are staggering. More than sixkilos on the scale and already effects on the body and the brain. The hormones that regulate appetite were disrupted, he was more stressed and with disrupted sleep. Another interesting fact, he explains that he had come to “ […] to think that I was addicted to these products.Some ultra-processed foods can activate the brain’s reward system in a way similar to what happens when we consume drugs like alcohol, or even nicotine or morphine.
” he explains. MRI scans have shown that the dysfunctions in the reward circuits of food addiction are similar to those of substance abuse.
Mental health tooThese foods made with cocktails of additives and flavor enhancers, without nutritional interest, are also bad for our mental health. During the experiment he conducted, the specialist admits to having “felt like I had aged 10 years. I was in pain. I was exhausted, unhappy and angry. After this test, within 48 hours, I was able to sleep at night, my bowels started working again and my work seemed easier.
” he confides.
This junk food causes harmful effects on anxiety, sleep, concentration, digestion, weight gain. But above all, eating more ultra-processed foods increases the risk of death, cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, dementia… To eat better, you must therefore favor raw foods as much as possible and learn to dissect labels. And if you think you are addicted, professionals are there to help you. Chris van Tulleken,Ultra-processed : we eat crap and the worst thing is that we ask for moretranslated from the English version Ultra-processed peopleHachette, 22
euros.
