You already know that a diet heavy in ultra-processed food is bad for you.
Now, here’s one more reason to avoid these junk foods — like packaged desserts, snacks, meats and more that often come jacked up with sugar, preservatives, corn syrup and chemical additives.
They are linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Scientists report a 17% higher risk of developing the disease for every 10% increase in the amount of someone’s diet made up of ultra-processed foods. That’s from a study published in September in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.
Eating fewer such foods lowers the risk, too, they reported.
These products often have long lists of ingredients that are impossible to pronounce. They sometimes have colorful branding, with claims of being healthy or nutritious, like “low in fat.”
They tend to be high in calories, too, which could lead to greater body fat, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
You can lower your risk by avoiding too many sugary drinks, processed animal-based foods, and savory snacks like potato chips.
A previous study in JAMA Neurology linked too much junk food to declining brain health.
It’s probably too much to ask most of us to completely avoid ultra-processed food these days. But let’s try to cut back and eat mindfully, favoring a diet rich in whole, natural foods as much as possible.
Holly Kouvo is a personal trainer, functional aging specialist, senior fitness specialist, brain health trainer, writer, and speaker.