From Fortune:
In an age where convenience often trumps nutritional value, a growing body of research is raising concerns about the health implications of eating ultra-processed foods. These foods undergo extensive industrial processing, resulting in products that are convenient, hyper-palatable, and potentially detrimental to long-term health.
Research has shown a clear association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and adverse health effects. A recent study in the British Medical Journal highlights a link between ultra-processed diets and increased calorie intake, weight gain, and elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases. Participants consuming ultra-processed diets ate an average of 500 more calories per day compared to those on unprocessed diets, putting on additional pounds over time. And overall, researchers found a direct association between ultra-processed foods and 32 health conditions, including cancer, mental health disorders, and Type 2 diabetes.