The results of a recent study showed how the ingestion of so-called ‘ultraprocessed’ foods not only negatively impact our health but accelerate the cellular aging process.
Over the centuries, the food we ingest daily has had a remarkable evolution, especially in recent years. The way we eat, in addition to being an important cultural and social element, greatly influences our health.
In 2017, more than 10 million people lost their lives due to poor nutrition. Our ancestors, despite leading an extremely active life (just think that they were all hunter gatherers), consumed very few calories, all of which came from unprocessed foods. Today, on the contrary, we lead a sedentary life but consume a lot of calories that we take from processed and ultra-processed foods.
The consumption of ultra-processed foods accelerates cellular aging because these foods are low in macronutrients but high in calories, so they promote the oxidation process. This leads to a greater risk of developing diseases in the medium and long term.
A diet based on fresh foods such as vegetables that have high amounts of phytochemicals helps fight the appearance of free radicals. These micronutrients also manage to reduce the damage suffered by cells over time.
In addition to fats with anti-inflammatory properties, ultra-processed foods contain other substances harmful to health. An example is acrylamide, a waste product obtained by subjecting starches to high temperatures. This substance to accelerate the damage and thecellular aging. Its regular intake is associated with an increased risk of developing complex diseases, such as cancer, as reported by theInternational Journal of Cancer. Both ultra-processed foods and fried and battered foods can contain acrylamide.
Ultra-processed foods also have a high in fat and sugar. This increases their energy density and worsens markers associated with metabolic health. Excessive consumption of sugars and hydrogenated fats also damages the microbiota, which leads to digestive problems and nutrient assimilation.