Health risks of ultra-processed plant-foods

By Noralyn Onto Dudt

SEVERAL research studied have found an association between ultra-processed foods and all causes of mortality: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, adverse sleep outcomes, adverse anxiety outcomes,  asthma, hypertension, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, obesity,  metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The latest study published just a few weeks ago in the journal Lancet Regional Health-Europe, had just shed more light on the risks. The researchers found that eating plant-derived foods that are ultra-processed—such as meat substitutes,  fruit juices and pastries—increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. On the other hand, when plant foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts are only minimally processed,  meaning they are cleaned,  cut and packaged but served largely as they are found in nature, they have protective effect against cardiovascular disease.

Food processing takes many forms: from grinding grain into raw flour, home cooking,  and complex industrial methods used in the making of convenience foods. What is unusual about the study is that it zeroed in on the health effects of ultra-processed foods that begin as plants, comparing them with minimally processed plant foods. Given that plant-based foods are generally healthy in their natural state,  the research suggests that there's something uniquely damaging about ultra-processing that changes a food in a way that can harm a person's health long term.

Primary food processing is necessary to make most foods edible while secondary food processing turns ingredients into familiar foods such as bread. Tertiary food processing results in ultra processed foods and has been widely criticized for promoting overnutrition and obesity. They are industrial creations made with little—if any—whole foods that often contain large amounts of added sugar and salt, and infused with artificial colors and additives. Foods that are ultra-processed are altered from their natural forms. This is done to make foods appear a certain way or preserve foods to last longer. Compare a carton of eggs that you purchase with a frozen egg patty. Even though both of these contain eggs, these are very different foods, having  gone through very different journeys to get to the store shelves.

"The artificial and heightened flavors of these foods can lead people to become addicted to these flavors, making it difficult for them to appreciate the natural flavors of real foods such as fruits  and vegetables, " said the lead author of the new study.

Ultra-processing strips away health-promoting nutrients, replaced them with salt, sugar and fat, and destroys the food's internal structure, or "food matrix," which causes our bodies to absorb the food more rapidly. This results in less satiety and, in some cases, higher blood-sugar levels.

During industrial processing, foods are often subjected to extreme pressures and temperatures, which can transform additives into harmful new compounds. Two well-known compounds that are generated during food processing, acrolein and acrylamide, have been found to promote cardiovascular disease.  Plant foods that are not ultra-processed contain fiber, polyphenols, phytosterols and a wide array of compounds that reduce inflammation and promote overall health. In light of that, we should be eating a diet of mostly minimally processed foods and avoiding things that come in packages with long lists of colorants, sweeteners, flavor enhancers, emulsifiers and other additives that you would not use in your own kitchen. When buying ready-made food or preparations, the best tip is to read the ingredient list. If it contains only ingredients that you recognize and commonly have in your kitchen,  it is most likely made from real food and is not an ultra-processed food.

The study analyzed  data on 120,000 adults who were followed for roughly a decade as part of the UK Biobank, a study that has been tracking the health and lifestyle habits of people throughout the United Kingdom. As part of the long-running study, the participants answered questions about their diet, habits and environments on different occasions and provided biological samples, and health/ medical records. The findings included:

     *the more ultra-processed foods people consumed, the higher their likelihood of dying of heart disease.

     *every 10% increase in calories from plant-derived ultra-processed foods was associated with a 5% higher likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease and a 6% higher risk of coronary heart disease in particular.

     *for every 10% increase to the consumption of whole plant-based foods—those that were not ultra-processed—the participants had an 8% reduction in their likelihood of developing coronary heart disease and a 20% reduction in their risk of dying of it. They also had a 13% lower risk of dying of any cardiovascular disease.

Many of the foods studied were not foods that people would typically consider a plant food. But the main ingredients in many junk foods come from plants, such as cane and beet sugars, wheat flour, corn, potatoes, fruit juices and vegetable oils. The plant foods that were  ultra-processed included:

      * Wheat and corn:  pastries,  buns, biscuits, cakes, packaged breads, cereals, chips and salty snacks.

      * Potatoes:  French fries, potato chips.

      * Beet, cane and other sugars:  candy, soft drinks.

      * Fruits and vegetables:  sauces, dressings, juices, beverages, frozen pizza.

      * Soy, wheat, beans, peas:  meat substitutes, including imitation burgers and sausages.

The beverages you drink are just as important to pay attention to as the foods you eat. Tap water is not processed whereas energy drinks and sodas are processed. Several studies by Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health have shown that  drinking sugary drinks twice a week may increase risk of cardiovascular disease despite level of physical activity. For those who consumed these beverages on a daily basis, the risk was even higher. The adverse effects of sugary drinks like sodas, fruit juices, and energy drinks are well-known; less clear is if exercise can offset them. To investigate this question in terms of risk  of cardiovascular disease,  the researchers used data from the Nurses' Health Study to examine the health outcomes of more than 100,000 Americans over the course of 30 years. They zeroed in on participants' self-reported intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and physical activity levels and whether they were diagnosed with CVD, defined as fatal or nonfatal coronary artery disease or stroke. The study found that adding one sugary drink per day was associated with a roughly 18% increased risk of CVD regardless of how much a person exercised.

Unprocessed or minimally processed foods—vegetables,  grains, legumes, fruits, nuts, meats, seafood, herbs, spices, garlic, eggs and milk. Make these real, whole foods the basis of your diet. When  ingredients such as oil, sugar or salt are added to foods and are packaged for purchase, the result is processed foods. Examples are simple bread, cheese, tofu, canned tuna, canned beans. These foods have been altered but not in a way that's detrimental to health. Here's a category where almost 50% of our calories come from—and where we should cut back: soft drinks, chips, candies, ice cream, sweetened breakfast cereals, packaged soups, chicken nuggets, hotdogs, fries and more. These foods go through multiple processes (extrusion, molding, milling etc.) and contain many added ingredients and are highly manipulated.

Tip the balance and  cook at home more often without using ultra-processed ingredients. Dine with friends and family. Real food, real talk, good company make a  winning combination for dinner.  Studies have shown that  people who dine together have better eating habits, such as enjoying more vegetables, fewer soft drinks, and less deep-fried food.