“Quickly stimulate the brain… I get anxious when I try to reduce my intake” A study has found that ultra-processed foods, known to be linked to obesity and adult disease, can affect not only the body but also the brain.
According to the American newspaper Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 11th (local time), a recent study conducted by Professor Ashley Gearhart’s team at the University of Michigan found that there is a correlation between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and changes in the way we learn and remember, and the more we consume, the better our mental health. · It has been shown to increase the risk of sleep disorders.
Ultra-processed foods are foods that contain food additives such as sweeteners, preservatives and colors and have been heavily processed and modified.
Most foods are processed so that they can be consumed immediately in the factory, and representative examples include ham, sausages, ramen, carbonated drinks, ice cream, and snacks.
Research findings have already shown that such ultra-processed foods increase the risk of diseases in adults such as heart disease and diabetes.
However, this study found that many ultra-processed foods, when consumed, rapidly stimulate the brain and have a strong impact on the reward system, which is involved in pleasure, motivation and learning.
Professor Gearhart said the effect is similar to when people use nicotine, alcohol or other addictive drugs: ‘People have a strong craving for ultra-processed foods, consume them compulsively and find they can’t stop eating them. eat”.
This can be explained in part by the way ultra-processed foods are produced, the WSJ said.
To create ultra-processed foods, manufacturers destroy the cellular structure of ingredients to make them easier and quicker to chew, eat and digest.
Therefore, Professor Gearhart explained that the ingredients in these foods rapidly stimulate the brain and make ultra-processed foods more addictive.
Additionally, studies have shown that ultra-processed foods like chocolate, ice cream, French fries, and pizza are high in fats and refined carbohydrates, which can make them more addictive.
To confirm this through an experiment, researchers gave participants high-fat, high-sugar snacks to one group and high-sugar snacks to the other group for eight weeks.
Next, participants who ate snacks high in fat and sugar observed significantly more activity in the area of the brain that produces dopamine, an important neurotransmitter.
The researchers concluded that after frequently consuming foods high in fat and sugar, seeing fast food signs or the packaging of your favorite snacks can make you crave more and increase the likelihood of eating these foods.
Professor Gearhart and other researchers have proposed the concept of “ultra-processed food eating disorder” or “highly processed food eating disorder” to explain withdrawal symptoms such as cravings for ultra-processed foods and anxiety when we try to reduce its intake.
Additionally, ultra-processed foods have been shown to increase the risk of depression and sleep disorders.
According to a study published last month in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), the higher the intake of ultra-processed foods, the higher the risk of anxiety and general mental disorders by 48-53%, the risk of sleep disorders by 40 -53%. 66% and the risk of depression by 22%.
/yunhap news
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