Dementia, the most commonly spreading brain health condition during these days. It is a kind of forgetfulness .You lose little pieces of information about anything.
In this age of flavors, we opt for different choices of meals for our all day long eating schedules. Ultra processed foods are the most edible choice of our daily routine.
You may think, What is considered an ultra- processed food?
Well, according to pubmed.gov to identify ultra- processed foods ,we need to read the list of ingredients contains any characteristics of NOVA ultra- processed food group, which means the pack of item we are reading the list of contains any substance we never or rarely use in the kitchen e.g. hydrogenated oils, hydro-lysed proteins, flavorings, food colors, emulsifier, gelling agents, foaming, anti- foaming, sweeteners, thickeners, bulking, carbonating and glazers.
In easy words, you can say that the foods having artificial preparations for their longevity and tasting are entitled as ultra- processed foods.
What are the examples of ultra- processed foods
Here is the list of items you call ultra- processed foods.
- Soft drinks
- Chips
- Chocolate
- Candy
- Ice-cream
- Sweetened breakfast cereals
- Packaged soups
- Frozen pizza
- Chicken nuggets
- Hotdogs
- Fries and more.
Does ultra-processed food cause Dementia
The answer to this question is yes. It is also linked with cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, shortened life span and metabolic syndrome.
Your activity of the brain compromises with continuous use of ultra- processed foods. You may experience planning, focusing, remembering instructions, juggling multiple tasks, and memorizing difficult.
According to CNN Health, men and women who ate mostly ultra-processed food have 28% higher rate of global cognitive decline. Similarly, CNN Health says 25% faster the rate of executive function decline in people having ultra- processed food commonly.
“Ultra-Processed foods drag diet quality down, and thus their concentration in the diet is an indicator of poor diet quality in most cases,” Dr. David Katz said, a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine and nutrition.
BUT there is a shocking truth about ultra- processed food is that If a person is consuming a lot of unprocessed food and also eating whole grains, fruits, veggies and healthy protein sources; the link between cognitive decline and ultra- processed food is removed. Dr. Katz said.
Dr. Claudia Suemoto, an assistant professor in the division of geriatrics at the University of São Paulo Medical School says, “In Brazil, ultra processed foods make up 25% to 30% of total calorie intake. We have McDonald’s, Burger King and we eat a lot of chocolate and white bread. It’s not very different, unfortunately, from many other Western countries,” He also says that United States citizens consume 58% of calories, British citizens consume 56.8% of calories and Canadians consume 48% of calories from ultra- processed foods.
Is ultra- processed food bad for you
Ultra processed foods are really bad for your health. They are actually harmful for your whole body functioning. But in this busy age of workload, we preferably want them on our plates to satisfy our hunger.
They can be eaten moderately with proper intake of whole grains, veggies and fruits as mentioned above. However, you should try to quit ultra-processed foods and prepare fresh meals for your tables. It is difficult to do daily but your health must be the top priority of yours. You may keep a balance between ultra- processed food and home cooked food as well to manage your routine and it will also not harm your health that much.
