Although many over-processed foods can satisfy the desire for sweet, fatty, salty foods, research suggests these items are particularly bad for the heart and brain, with mood and cognition taking a hit.
The most recent research looking at the 1 of over-processed food found the most far-reaching results. Researchers 2 direct links between higher consumption of over-processed foods and a greater risk of many health issues.
These results are 3 earlier studies. Diets high in these foods were linked to greater risk of depression and anxiety, according to an analysis published in the journal Nutrients. In one of these studies, risk rose from 4 just 33 percent of calories from over-processed food. A separate study found that taking in just 20 percent of calories from these foods was linked to a 28 percent faster rate of cognitive 5 compared with people who ate less processed food.
Also 6 is a study tracking about half a million people living in England, Scotland, and Wales that found the risk of dementia (痴呆) went up by 25 percent for every 10 percent increase in over-processed food. While the exact cause-and-effect relationship is still unknown, the strongest evidence from prospective studies 7 the idea that eating high amounts of over-processed foods increases the risk of depression in the future.
It is common knowledge that eating too much salt or sugar is linked to high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. What the public may not appreciate, 8 , is that all these conditions affect the brain by raising the risk for dementia. 9 such as certain artificial sweeteners may also disturb the production and release of brain chemicals, such as dopamine, which can negatively affect mental and emotional 10 .
Another problem with over-processed foods is that they might be addictive. Over-processed foods have more in common with a(n) 11 than foods by Mother Nature. Humans have evolved to respond to foods that are sweet fatty, and high in calories. For most of human existence this helped us 12 . But in nature, foods are 13 modestly high in sugar — like berries — or high in fat, like nuts. You don't find foods high in both sugar and fat. That's a distinctive 14 of over-processed foods. Add in salt, artificial flavorings and bright colors, and our brain simply 15 these foods.
