A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine says ultra-processed foods may come with a hidden cost to your health.
New study shows increased health risks from ultra-processed foods
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - They're fast, convenient and often irresistible.
Examples of ultra-processed foods include chips, fast food, sodas, candy and more. They are all around us—available at our fingertips.
But a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine says ultra-processed foods may come with a hidden cost to your health.
"I think it sucks just because for us to find something that's not processed or not artificial, it does cost more," Jayche Davis of Memphis said.
Researchers found that for every 10 percent increase in ultra-processed foods in your daily diet, your risk of dying from any cause jumps by nearly three percent.
In the United States, that's more than 124,000 preventable deaths a year.
The study also linked these foods to 32 physical and mental health problems—from heart disease to depression.
"These are foods that basically they have fillers, they have byproducts. They have extra things that have been added to them. So they're tastier," Chad Jones, a Doctor of Nursing Practice with Methodist Medical Group, said. "When you eat too much of these, you have more of the bad things: the sugars, the carbohydrates, the starches, the complex particles of not eating whole food."
Jones said ultra-processed foods are designed to be convenient, cheap, and have a long shelf life, but many of these meals lack the nutrients, vitamins and minerals your body needs to function.
"Even items that are basically marketed as healthier options, such as Lean Cuisine meals, frozen prepared meals, those also have fillers and additives in them that have hidden sugars," he said.
So next time you reach for that microwave meal or bag of chips, you may want to think twice. The risk may be higher than you think.
"One of the easiest things is just sticking with lean meats, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, trying to stay away from the processed as much as possible and get back to the root of healthy eating," Jones said.
When it comes to making healthier choices, health experts say to start small.
Read the label, try one new health item a week, and gradually shift what's in your cart.