ultra-processed foods are well known for being attractive, practical and low cost. Unfortunately, these foods are nutritionally unbalanced and, according to the Ministry of Health, are generally high in fat, sugar or sodium.
The excess of these components causes ultra-processed foods to be associated with different health problems, including even some types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer, and dementia. invest in a healthy eating, reducing the consumption of these foods is essential for promoting health.
Read too: Malnutrition — disease that can be caused Pshe lacks proper nutrition
Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary on ultra-processed foods
- 2 - What are ultra-processed foods?
- 3 - What are the dangers of consuming ultra-processed foods?
- 4 - Examples of ultra-processed foods
Summary on ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made entirely or mostly from substances taken from food, derived from food constituents or synthesized in the laboratory based on Petroleum It is coal.
They usually have a high content of fats, sugars or sodium.
They are nutritionally unbalanced.
Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, depression, cancers and dementia are problems that can be triggered by the consumption of these foods.
Ministry of Health recommends that ultra-processed foods be avoided.
What are ultra-processed foods?
According to the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population of the Ministry of Health, ultra-processed foods are:
[…] industrial formulations made entirely or mainly from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, starch, proteins), derived from food constituents (hydrogenated fats, modified starch) or synthesized in the laboratory based on organic materials such as oil and coal (dyes, flavorings, flavor enhancers and various types of additives used to endow products with sensory properties attractive).
Thus, ultra-processed foods have characteristics that make them more attractive. Due to this, in addition to the ease of preparation and low cost, these foods are increasingly included in the diet of the population around the world. The problem, however, lies in the fact that these foods are nutritionally unbalanced, which makes them harmful.
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What are the dangers of consuming ultra-processed foods?
When we talk about healthy eating, a basic rule must be followed: always prefer foods in natura or minimally processed.
The consumption of ultra-processed foods, despite being quite practical, is associated with an inadequate diet. This is due to the fact that, in addition to poors in nutrients, many of these foods have large amount of fats, sugars or sodium.
Fats, sugars and sodium are components that, at high levels, are associated with some health problems, such as obesity, hypertension, diseases that affect the heart, diabetes and even depression It is anxiety. As ultra-processed foods are very practical and considered very tasty by some people, their excess consumption is no exception in the population.
The consumption of ultra-processed foods is also related to the increase in risk of developing dementia. According to the article “Association of ultraprocessed food consumption with risk of dementia”, higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher risk of dementia, while replacing these foods with foods in natura or minimally processed was associated with a lower risk of developing this problem.
In addition to the aforementioned health problems, ultra-processed foods are related to development of different types of cancers, in particular the wâcolorectal cancer. This type of cancer, however, is not the only one caused by these foods.
An article, published on January 31, 2023 and entitled “Ultra-processed food consumption, cancer risk and cancer mortality: a large-scale prospective analysis within the UK Biobank”, demonstrated that the consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher incidence and mortality of general cancers and certain types of cancer. specific. The article also highlights that associations were found more consistently for overall cancer and Ovary cancer in women.
It is also worth mentioning that, according to the article “Premature deaths attributable to the consumption of ultraprocessed foods in Brazil”, approximately 57,000 premature deaths were estimated to be attributable to the consumption of ultra-processed foods in Brazil in 2019.
See too: Risk of excessive soda consumption
Examples of ultra-processed foods
Below are some foods considered ultra-processed:
stuffed biscuits;
bullets;
ice creams;
chocolates;
breakfast cereals;
cake mix;
powdered soups;
cereal bar;
instant seasonings;
ready-made sauces;
sweetened and flavored yoghurts and milk drinks;
energetic;
frozen dishes such as pizza and hamburgers;
nuggets;
sausages;
packet snacks;
soft drinks;
powders for refreshments;
instant noodles.
In addition to these products, the Ministry of Health points out that bread and bakery products are considered ultra-processed foods when, in addition to wheat flour, yeast, water and salt, its ingredients include substances such as hydrogenated vegetable fat, sugar, starch, serum milk, emulsifiers and other additives.
By Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Biology teacher
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