2024-05-09 17:09:47
Ultraprocessed foods are usually dismissed as bad foods that harm your health. The impact of the publication of several studies showing that it can increase the risk of premature death is significant. But you don’t need to avoid all ultra-processed foods. This is because the effects on the body are different.
For example, there is no risk correlation between processed meats such as sausages or ham, foods and drinks with a lot of added sugar, and bread made from processed grains.
On the 8th (local time), researchers at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health tracked more than 100,000 U.S. medical professionals for 30 years and studied how eating ultra-processed foods affects health. Published in The BMJ journal.
The health care workers in this study had no history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. They provided information about their health and lifestyle habits every two years from 1986 to 2018. They also completed detailed questionnaires about the foods they consumed every four years.
According to a CNN report, the group that consumed the least amount of ultra-processed food ate about three times a day on average, and the group that consumed the most consumed about seven times a day. Those who consumed the most had a 4% higher risk of death from all causes and a 9% increased risk of neurodegenerative death.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Ming Yang Song, associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, said the correlation was “moderate” and not equally strong across all types of ultra-processed foods.
“The clear associations appeared primarily in a few subgroups, including processed meats and beverages that were high in sugar or artificially sweetened,” he said. This means that among ultra-processed foods, there are both good and bad things.
This study features an analysis of various subgroups within the ultra-processed food category.
Dr. Song said there are many types of ultra-processed foods, so he wouldn’t recommend avoiding them all.
“For example, cereals and whole wheat processed breads are considered ultra-processed foods, but they contain many beneficial nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals,” Dr. Song said. “On the other hand, I think we should avoid or limit our consumption of certain ultra-processed foods, such as processed meats and highly sugary beverages,” he added.
He also said researchers should look more closely at components of ultra-processed foods that may affect health, such as food additives, emulsifiers and flavorings, to advise governments and agencies on how to regulate them.
Dr. Song said the study found that the most important factor in lowering the risk of death was the overall quality of diet.
Dr Peter Wilde, Honorary Research Fellow in Life Sciences at the Quadram Institute in the UK, said healthy eating meant eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and as many whole grains as possible.
“If you are worried about food additives, choose ones with low additive content. “However, carefully consider the nutritional content of the ultra-processed foods you plan to eat,” he advised.
It is also important to recognize that food should be consumed in a balanced manner. Fruit juice contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are beneficial when consumed in moderation, but if consumed in excess, its high sugar content can offset its benefits, Dr. Wilde said.
“This is not black and white. “It’s not that certain foods are good or bad; they contain elements of both, and the balance between the two can vary depending on how much you eat.”
Park Hae-sik, Donga.com reporter [email protected]
2024-05-09 17:09:47