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Tag: ultra-processed food

Published on Leave a comment on Health Effects From Titanium Dioxide In Foods
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles Credit: Wikipedia

Titanium dioxide appears in many foods and some medicines (e.g., Allegra), in order to make colors and whites look brighter. In other words, it is an unnecessary food additive, found in a large variety of (ultra-processed) foods, including some candies, gum, frosting, soups, and even macaroni and cheese. It is allowed in the US (in over 11,000 food products!), but banned in Europe due to its harmful health effects.

A number of studies have linked titanium dioxide in its small nanoparticle form (between 1 and 100 nanometers) with a number of health harms, including to the gut (intestines). A recent study found that nanoparticle titanium dioxide has harmful or disruptive effects on the intestinal endocrine (hormone) system, resulting in abnormal blood sugar (glucose) levels, which can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. It also caused intestinal lining changes, reduced levels of gut hormones, and resulted in a drop in enteroendocrine cells

Larger particles of titanium dioxide Credit: Wikipedia

While the study was done in mice, the results are also thought to apply to humans. The study didn't find the same health harms from larger titanium dioxide particles called microparticles (about the size of a fine grain of sand), but only from the nanoparticles. The problem is that nanoparticles are so small that once ingested, they get into cells and tissues throughout the body. However, large particles can be excreted from the body.

Bottom line: Unfortunately, it's the small nanoparticles that are so common in foods that we ingest. Read labels carefully and try to avoid those with titanium dioxide or artificial colors (includes titanium dioxide).

Excerpts from two informative articles: 1) From investigative journalism site US Right to Know: Tiny titanium dioxide particles in food raise blood sugar, disrupt gut hormones in mice, study finds

The study, published this month [May 2025] in Food and Chemical Toxicology, adds to growing concerns over the safety of titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a widely used color additive that is banned in the EU but widely used in the U.S. and elsewhere. It also highlights the food industry’s increasing use of microscopic materials to preserve or enhance foods.  ...continue reading "Health Effects From Titanium Dioxide In Foods"

Published on Leave a comment on Good Book About Ultra-Processed Food

There is much concern with the amount of highly or ultra-processed foods the typical American eats - over 50% of the calories eaten daily! A very good book about ultra-processed food is Ultra-Processed People, by Dr. Chris van Tulleken. This book discusses the history of ultra-processed foods (e.g., coal to make "synthetic butter" or margarine), the health harms, and why they are such a big part of our diet.

Ultra-processed foods are food products manufactured with all sorts of ingredients (additives) not normally found in our kitchens. Examples of such ingredients are: emulsifiers, carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, soy lecithin, polysorbate, cellulose, colors, titanium dioxide, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, dextrose, whey protein, nitrates, flavors (artificial and natural), colors, etc.

These ingredients have typically been added to extend shelf-life or manipulate the taste, flavor, or appearance. Ultra-processed foods are "formulations of ingredients" that result from a series of industrial processes (thus "ultra-processed"). Researchers say that "ultra-processed foods are not real food" due to all the modifications and alterations.

One large review of studies (none of which were affiliated with companies producing ultra-processed foods) found that eating ultra-processed foods are linked to over 30 health harms. Some of the health harms: early death, death from heart disease (cardiovascular disease), type 2 diabetes, adverse sleep outcomes, wheezing, cancer (e.g., colorectal cancer), and obesity. In general, the more ultra-processed foods one ate, the higher the risk for harms (a dose-dependent effect).

Chris van Tulleken - Ultra-Processed People. Published by Cornerstone Press in the UK, and W.W. Norton in the US in 2023. Lots of references to back up what he writes.

Published on Leave a comment on Some Food Ingredients Were Developed to Deal With Industrial Waste
Crisco can Credit: Wikipedia

Americans now consume all sorts of ultra-processed foods daily. In fact, they now are the majority of the daily diet of Americans. What many people don't really understand is that ultra-processed foods involve all sorts of laboratory derived chemicals and ingredients. In fact, some (Crisco, saccharine, etc.) were developed to deal with industrial waste!

A good short video (6 minutes) about this from The Guardian: How We Created Ultra-processed Food From Industrial Waste

In the UK and US, more than half the average diet consists of ultra-processed foods. For some people, especially those who are younger, poorer or from disadvantaged areas, a diet comprising as much as 80% UPFs is typical, and this has been linked to a myriad of harmful effects to health.

Neelam Tailor traces the surprising journey of ultra-processed foods from their origins in industrial waste to today's complex ingredient lists and the regulatory loopholes that paved the way.

Published on Leave a comment on Eating Ultra-Processed Plant-Based Foods Is Not Healthy

Eating plant-based foods has health benefits. But only if it's from real foods, and not ultra-processed. A recent study found that the more not ultra-processed plant-based foods a person ate (and the less ultra-processed plant-based foods), the lower their risk of cardiovascular disease  and early death.

The results show that eating minimally processed food is heart protective. And the reverse is also true: higher consumption of plant-based ultra-processed foods was associated with a greater risk of heart disease (including heart attacks and strokes) and early death from heart disease.

Read the ingredient lists! When there are ingredients that are not normally found in your kitchen (e.g., carrageenan, artificial or natural flavors, titanium dioxide, soy lecithin, high-fructose corn syrup, cellulose) - then they are ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processing strips away a food's nutrients, as well as fiber.

Yes, trying to lower consumption meat consumption and eating more plant-based foods is a good goal. But...Many meat-free foods (e.g., boxed macaroni and cheese), dairy substitutes, and plant-based "meats" are not healthy. Lots of chemicals were added to make it more meat-like or a dairy substitute - thus they are ultra-processed foods.

Packaged breads, buns, cakes, cookies and soda are meat free and plant-based foods, but they generally are ultra-processed.

Bottom line: Try to eat more fresh, frozen, or minimally plant-based foods. This is a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans), seeds, nuts. A good example is a Mediterranean-style diet, which has been shown to have many health benefits.

From Washington Post: When plant foods are ultra-processed, the health benefits disappear

Eating a plant-based diet is good for your health, but not if those plant foods are ultra-processed, a new study has found.

The findings show that all plant-based diets aren’t the same, and that plant foods can have very different effects on your health depending on what manufacturers do to them before they reach your plate. ...continue reading "Eating Ultra-Processed Plant-Based Foods Is Not Healthy"

Published on Leave a comment on Over 30 Health Harms Associated With Ultra-Processed Foods

The studies finding health harms from ultra-processed foods keep coming. Ultra-processed foods are food products manufactured with all sorts of ingredients (additives) not normally found in our kitchens. Examples of such ingredients are: emulsifiers, carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, soy lecithin, polysorbate, cellulose, colors, titanium dioxide, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, dextrose, whey protein, nitrates, flavors (artificial and natural), colors, etc.

A large review of studies (none of which were affiliated with companies producing ultra-processed foods) found that eating ultra-processed foods are linked to over 30 health harms. Some of the health harms had especially strong associations: early death, death from heart disease (cardiovascular disease), type 2 diabetes, adverse sleep outcomes, wheezing, and obesity. In general, the more ultra-processed foods one ate, the higher the risk for harms.

Bottom line: Read ingredient lists, and try to avoid ultra-processed foods. Even foods such as cereals can have one that is ultra-processed (a formulation of ingredients that result from industrial processes) next to one that only has natural real ingredients without any additives.

From Medical Xpress: Consistent evidence links ultra-processed food to over 30 damaging health outcomes

Consistent evidence shows that higher exposure to ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of 32 damaging health outcomes including cancer, major heart and lung conditions, mental health disorders, and early death. ...continue reading "Over 30 Health Harms Associated With Ultra-Processed Foods"

Published on Leave a comment on Food Additives and Higher Cancer Risk

Most Americans eat highly processed or ultra-processed foods every single day, with most of their daily calories from them! There are all sorts of health risks from these foods, with a recent study finding an overall increased risk of cancer, as well as prostate and breast cancer.

Emulsifiers are food additives found in many ultra-processed foods. A large French study found that higher intakes of the emulsifiers carrageenan, mono and diglycerides are linked to an overall increased risk of cancer, as well as an increased risk in prostate and breast cancers.

Bottom line: Read the ingredients listed on labels! As much as possible, try to only buy and cook foods with ingredients that you would find in a kitchen. For example, flour, sugar - yes, chemical sounding names - no.

From Medscape: Are Food Emulsifiers Associated With Increased Cancer Risk?

...continue reading "Food Additives and Higher Cancer Risk"

Published on Leave a comment on Pregnant Women Ingest Forever Chemicals In Ultra-Processed and Fast Foods

Chemicals known as "forever chemicals" or PFAS have been in the news a lot recently. This is because PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are in so many products that we all use, yet research is showing more and more health harms from them. Including to pregnant women and developing babies.

A recent study found that pregnant women who ate more ultra-processed  or fast foods had higher levels of a type of forever chemicals (PFAS) called phthalates in their bodies. The food wrappers and packaging of ultra-processed and fast food, and even the gloves worn by food handlers, are a source of the harmful chemicals.

The chemicals migrate from the packaging or wrapping into the food, which is then ingested by the person. They then get into the pregnant woman's bloodstream, and eventually the placenta and fetus. They are endocrine (hormone) disruptors. Studies find that pregnant women with higher levels of phthalates have an increased risk of preterm birth, babies with low birth weight, and other problems (e.g., autism spectrum disorder).

The researchers found that diets high in vegetables, fruits, yogurt, fish, and nuts during pregnancy were associated with lower phthalate levels (measured in the urine of the pregnant women). Ultra-processed foods were between 9.8 to 59.% of the pregnant women's diets, with the average being 38.6%.

Unfortunately, unprocessed and minimally processed foods are more expensive than ultra-processed foods. So it wasn't surprising that socioeconomic levels (including income levels) made a difference - the lower the household income, the greater the average ultra-processed food intake.

Bottom line: Try to eat less fast food and pre-made packaged food. Read labels and avoid foods with ingredients that are not found normally in a home kitchen, but are chemicals (e.g., soy lecithin, carrageenan, high-fructose corn syrup, colors). We can't totally avoid all PFAS, but we can lower our exposure to them.

From Medical Xpress: Study: Pregnant women should avoid ultraprocessed, fast foods

If you're pregnant, you may want to think twice before making a hamburger run or reaching for a prepackaged pastry, according to research published last month in the journal Environmental International. ...continue reading "Pregnant Women Ingest Forever Chemicals In Ultra-Processed and Fast Foods"

Published on Leave a comment on How to Identify An Ultra-Processed Food

There is much concern with the amount of highly or ultra-processed foods the typical American eats - over 50% of the calories eaten daily! Ultra-processed foods are linked to all sorts of health issues (e.g., diabetes, heart disease). One reason is because these foods are not good for the gut microbiome - they feed microbes linked to poor health and not the microbes linked to good health.

So how does one know if a food is ultra-processed? An easy way is to look at the ingredients list on the package or container and look for one or more ingredients not normally found in our kitchens at home. Instead, these ingredients will have chemical sounding names.

What ingredients indicate a food is ultra-processed? Some examples indicating a food is ultra-processed: soy lecithin, carrageenan, high-fructose corn syrup,  hydrogenated oils, interesterified oils, hydrolysed proteins, invert sugar, dextrose, lactose, gluten, whey protein, nitrates, flavors, colors, titanium dioxide, caramel color, and emulsifiers. The list goes on and on. Even the innocent sounding "natural flavors" is a laboratory concoction.

These ingredients have typically been added to extend shelf-life or manipulate the taste, flavor, or appearance. Ultra-processed foods are "formulations of ingredients" that result from a series of industrial processes (thus "ultra-processed"). Researchers of the following article say that "ultra-processed foods are not real food" due to all the modifications and alterations.

Note that ultra-processed foods can be on the grocery shelf right next to similar foods with all natural ingredients. Examples are breads, cereals, and maple syrup (is it real maple syrup or an ultra-processed concoction?). This is why you should read ingredient lists.

Also, these foods are generally ultra-processed: soda, candy, margarines, cake mixes, hot dogs and processed meats (e.g., cold cuts), instant soups, mass-produced breads and cookies, frozen meals, fast food meals, energy bars and drinks, and protein bars.

By the way, most foods that we buy or cook at home are processed to some extent, for example pasteurization of milk, freezing or boiling foods, fermentation, seasoning foods, cooking food, or even baking bread. Using real foods to prepare (process) food is OK for our health. It's totally fine.

Foods can be unprocessed (e.g., raw fruits and vegetables), minimally processed, processed, and finally ultra-processed. The ingredients will tell you if it's just processed food (contains only normal foods or culinary ingredients - e.g., flour, sugar, salt, eggs) or whether it's ultra-processed (contains one or more chemical sounding ingredients).

These foods are NOT ultra-processed: pasteurized milk, raw fruits and vegetables, starchy roots and tubers (e.g., potatoes, yams), chilled meat and fish, plant oils (e.g., olive oil), sugar, oats, and salt.

A big problem is that ultra-processed foods are replacing unprocessed or minimally processed foods in our diet. This is also why we are getting less and less fiber in our diet, which is linked to health problems. Simple way to think about it: fiber from foods feeds beneficial gut microbes.

Excerpts from an April 2019 article in Public Health Nutrition: Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

Ultra-processed foods are defined within the NOVA classification system, which groups foods according to the extent and purpose of industrial processing.

...continue reading "How to Identify An Ultra-Processed Food"

Published on Leave a comment on Highly processed food increases risk of cancer
Fast food Credit: Wikipedia

Bad news keeps coming about the highly processed foods we love to eat. So convenient, so addictive (e.g., potato chips, soda!), but so bad for our health. A recent study found more harms from eating highly processed foods (also called ultra-processed foods). They are associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer and other cancers, and also death from cancer.

Even worse, the more one eats ultra-processed foods daily, the higher the risk of developing and dying from a variety of cancers. The ovarian and brain cancer association was especially strong.

The large study of 197,246 people, conducted in the UK, looked at the association between eating highly processed foods and the risk of developing 34 different types of cancers over a 10 year period. They found that highly processed foods were generally between 9.1% to 41.4% of the foods eaten daily. Highly processed foods averaged 48.6% of the daily calories, and ranged from 28.4% to 68.7% of daily calories.

Chips Credit: Wikipedia

As the researchers point out, the highly processed foods are replacing what should be eaten (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes). Thus, diets rich in highly processed foods are generally nutritionally inferior, and are higher in energy, fats, salt, sugars, and lower in fiber and some micronutrients.

Chemicals in highly processed foods and packaging (e.g., acrylamide, endocrine disruptors) are ingested and cause harm to humans. Additionally, additives found in highly processed foods (e.g., emulsifiers) have negative effects on the gut microbiome and gut (intestinal) lining.

Bottom line: Eat fewer highly processed foods. Eat more foods that are unprocessed or minimally processed (fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, whole grains). Read the list of ingredients on labels.

Excerpts from Medical Xpress: Ultra-processed foods may be linked to increased risk of cancer

Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods may be linked to an increased risk of developing and dying from cancer, an Imperial College London-led observational study suggests. ...continue reading "Highly processed food increases risk of cancer"

Published on Leave a comment on Americans Are Eating More Ultra-Processed Food Than Ever

Over the course of the last two decades there have been changes in the American diet. A recent study found that Americans now eat more ultra-processed foods than ever (53.5% of calories), and have decreased their consumption of minimally processed foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, meat). This is not good for health.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to obesity and some chronic diseases. It is also not good for the gut microbiome (the community of millions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in the intestines). Ultra-processed foods include sugary breakfast cereals, sweets, frozen pizza, soda, fast food, salty snacks, canned soup. They can contain preservatives, additives, artificial ingredients, and emulsifiers (which are linked to gut inflammation).

The study by New York University researchers found that ultra-processed food consumption grew from 53.5 percent of calories in the beginning of the period studied (2001-2002) to 57 percent at the end (2017-2018). They found that ready-to-eat or just heat meals (e.g., frozen dinners) increased the most, while the intake of some sugary foods and drinks (e.g. soda) declined.

Most of the decrease in minimally processed whole foods (from 32.7 percent to 27.4 percent of calories in two decades) was mostly due to people eating less meat and dairy. And who increased their intake of ultra-processed foods the most during this time? Older adults (age 60 and over), who also decreased their intake of whole foods the most over 2 decades.

Bottom line: try to increase your intake of real whole foods, and decrease your intake of ultra-processed foods. This would benefit your gut microbiome (feed the good gut microbes with whole foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts) and your health.

From Science Daily - Americans are eating more ultra-processed foods

Consumption of ultra-processed foods has increased over the past two decades across nearly all segments of the U.S. population, according to a new study by researchers at NYU School of Global Public Health.  ...continue reading "Americans Are Eating More Ultra-Processed Food Than Ever"