Sure, Ultra-Processed Foods Are Bad. But How Does That Help Anyone? | The Walrus

"A 2024 review of available research identified thirty-two studies linking UPFs to a higher risk of health conditions, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. More recent research found a dose response between UPFs and mortality (the more you eat, the more likely you will die early). The study estimated that 14 percent of premature deaths in the United Kingdom and the United States were "attributable to ultra-processed food intake.""

"Other studies have suggested that UPFs could mess with our gut microbiome, mental health, and sleep. And because UPFs heavily rely on a few high-yielding crops-varieties of corn, wheat, soy, and sugarcane bred for mass production-they may also have an adverse impact on biodiversity and the environment. So, all in all, the emerging research paints a pretty ghastly picture, especially when you consider that UPFs account for almost half of Canadians' daily calories."

A 2024 review identified thirty-two studies linking ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to increased risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. More recent evidence shows a dose-response association between UPF intake and mortality, with an estimated 14 percent of premature deaths in the United Kingdom and the United States attributable to UPFs. UPFs may disrupt the gut microbiome, mental health, and sleep, and rely on a narrow set of high-yielding crops that can harm biodiversity and the environment. UPFs supply a large share of daily calories, especially among youth. Debate over UPFs is shaped by messy science, policy factors, and upstream food-system dynamics. The Nova classification defines UPFs as industrially created products containing ingredients rarely used in home cooking.

Read at The Walrus