Can they make us sadder ultra-processed foods? Discover the interesting conclusion of a study done in United States. What role do sugars and fats play? Let's check it out!
Ultra-processed foods on trial
Un study for the Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine has come to this conclusion. The experts analyzed the eating habits of 10.359 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of United States. They also checked their anxiety level and the number of days their mental health dramatically worsened.
Thus, the report ensures that the worse the diet, the worse the mental health. This is due to various reasons. One of them is that the processes to which the ultra-processed foods reduce their nutritional value. At the same time that they decrease the content in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals… increase your caloric intake. We must also take into account the high content of saturated fat, salt and added sugars.
The role of sugar
We must especially highlight the latter. People who consume large amounts of sugar are known to suffer insulin spikes. So the sugar it gives you a rush of energy until your body secretes insulin to counteract it. At this time comes lethargy and little desire to move, which translates into laziness. That is why people who consume more sugar experience moments of high and low energy. The maximum amount recommended according to the WHO is 25 grams per day for an adult.
Insulin spikes also cause inflammation and they are undermining the mood in the long term. The same happens with the saturated in excess and salt. Anything that damages the health of the body takes away energy. A person with less energy is someone less capable of coping well with the challenges of everyday. That is why ultra-processed foods can harm mental health. However, there is also the debate about whether this kind of food leads to poor mental health or vice versa.
We need more disclosure
There is still no conclusive evidence, so more research is necessary. However, it is convenient to focus more on the damage to health that these foods derive from. The majority of consumers are not informed about the different preservatives, sweeteners... that affect the microbiome without us noticing. This is a problem when in countries like The Netherlands suppose up to 70% of the commercialized food.
Data from other European countries do not differ much. In short «mens sana in corpore sano«. Give a small space to the ultra-processed so they don't take away your well-being.
