It has been confirmed that most of the foods we eat are ultra-processed, which is a huge health risk. Let’s find out what they are.
A study confirmed this: most of the food that is consumed is ultra processeda detail that makes us particularly exposed to a particular pathology, let’s find out what we risk and which are in detail the foods we eat the most.
An important number of processed foods within a diet could be a big one health problem. Specifically, they increase the risk of developing the colorectal cancer. This alarming detail came out of a US research that aimed to understand what was the association, already known, among the industrial ready meals characterized by processed meats, salt, sugars and the risk of contracting this type of cancer.
Research on processed foods
The research considered the data of 3 prospective American studies that for years have taken information on the lifestyle and health of citizens.
More than 200,000 people: three-quarters women, health workers monitored for 25 years with questionnaires on their eating habits and establishing a consumption frequency of 130 foods. The report published in the British Medical Journalfound that men with a tendency to consume more processed foods were exposed to the risk of contracting colorectal cancer of the 29% more than the others. In women this link is not so evident.
What are the ultra-processed foods
The category of ultra-processed foods includes processed meats, this food has a very important risk for this type of tumor. The researcher of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston and first signing of the study, Lu Wang, he stated. Adding then that ultra-processed foods are characterized by important doses of added sugar and a minimum dose of fiber. Finally, it should not be overlooked that an important role is that of food additiveswhich modify the gut microbiota and help with inflammation.
Foods can be classified considering the production processes that involve them. The classification is called NOVA and is characterized by 4 categories:
Unprocessed or minimally processed food: vegetables, fruit, rice, cereals, pasta, legumes, white yogurt, milk, eggs, fish, meat and spices etc.
Food for cooking: oil, butter, salt and sugar
Processed and processed food: fresh bread, cheese, canned vegetables and legumes, canned fish and meat etc.
Ultra-processed food: sweet or savory snacks, ready-made pasta-based foods, burgers, ready-made soupsbiscuits, breakfast cereals, sauces etc.
It must be said that not all ultra-processed foods are characterized by high levels of calories and fat.
But it must be considered, as stated by the World Cancer Research Fund, that these foods are low in fiber, high in sugar and salt and affect body weight. But what makes the difference is the lifestyle and diet in general rather than the single food.
Farewell to ultra-processed foods, the risk of cancer is very high
