food
“I trust a cow or a chicken more than I do a [food] chemist” Dr. Joan Dye Gussow, Columbia University, 1980. Ultra-processed food is increasingly replacing our diet, but when did it start? According to an article from This Curious Life, ultra-processed food became the biggest part of our diet in the mid-20th century. In the NOVA classification system, ultra-processed food, also known as UPF, is the fourth group of food in which production involves the formulation of ingredients. High fat, sugar, salt, and an abundance of food additives are often found in UPF production. Ingredients used for UPF are designed for a high profit rate due to their low cost and long shelf life. Despite being convenient and affordable, UPF consists of calorie-dense foods lacking of nutritional value and has been proven causing several health issues, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and mental health problems.
Statistics show that in the United States and United Kingdom, more than 50% of daily calorie intake of citizens were originates from UPF. UPF is also rapidly growing in consumption in middle-income countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and China, but how has it replaced our food?
We all know that wars provoke technological advances. Back in World War II (WWII), processed food technology development was accelerated to overcome food storage issues during the war. Processed food increased shelf life during distribution and saved numerous armies from starving. After WWII, highly processed foods were introduced into the daily diet. In the 1970s–80s, known as the “era of ultra-processed foods,” highly processed food dominated the food market in the United States. Dietary sugar intake, canned meat, and sugar-syrup-added fruit raised a debate in both scientific and public spheres. During Food Day 1975, Norman organized the first protest against highly processed food. More and more people became aware of the hidden health issues of UPF, and until now, the title of “clean food” has been introduced to represent minimally processed foods without additives to provide an alternative choice for consumers.
The core of ultra-processed food is refined raw materials that are derived from plants and animals or synthetic substances produced by chemicals. Sugar, a sweet flavoring, is used to enhance sweetness and balance acidity and bitterness of food. Salt, abundant in meat, bakery, and cheese, acts as a food preservative and plays an important role in producing softer dough, less firm meat, and different cheese consistencies. A creamy feel in dairy and chocolate is provided by fat due to chemical properties of fats that enable fat-soluble substances to dissolve and boost richness. An emulsifier and thickener, proteins, are used to stabilize oil–water mixtures in foods such as dairy and thicken dough. Meanwhile, micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals that are essential for body health are lacking in UPF. Dietary fiber and prebiotics that promote gut health in UPF are minimal.
Ultra-processed food is one of the main causes of obesity. UPF contains high energy density, and a sedentary lifestyle increases the rate of obesity. People who consume higher amounts of UPF in their daily diets will be implicated in weight gain and increasing adiposity. UPF contains high fat and oil, both saturated and trans-fat, with a high sugar level as a factor of obesity. Excess digested fatty acids in the body will accumulate and be stored in adipose cells under the skin layer. High sugar intake, especially the end product of digestion of high fructose corn syrup, will undergo conversion of sugar to fat. A research conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed that energy intake by 20 normal-weight adults increased by 508 kcal per day during a UPF diet. In the long-term impact, fat layers will surround the internal organs such as the liver and end up with fatty liver, decreased mobility, and breathing difficulty.
A major cause of cardiovascular disease is UPF consumption. High fats and cholesterol in blood will form low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Higher levels of low-density lipoprotein are associated with the formation of atheromatous plaque. When cholesterol exceeds the normal level in the body, it will be deposited on the inner wall of arteries. This will result in atherosclerosis which narrows the blood arteries, reduces blood supply to tissues, and causes myocardial infarction or stroke. High salt content in UPF increases the rate of hypertension in an individual. When salt is absorbed into blood, a hypertonic solution is formed which forces the water in cells to diffuse out into the blood capillaries. High blood volume increases pressure against the wall of arteries.
Long-term consumption of sugary UPF can lead to type 2 diabetes. UPF contains a high concentration of glucose, a simple sugar that does not require digestion and enters the blood by diffusion. Intake of UPF, often combined with high-sugar drinks, can increase insulin production by the pancreas in a short period of time. Over time, muscle cells do not respond to insulin and the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin, resulting in a negative loop in which muscle cells do not uptake glucose as energy, and most of the glucose still flows within the blood. This ends up with chronic high sugar levels and requires lifelong treatment.
There is evidence linking UPF consumption and mental health issues such as addiction-related behaviors, stress, and depression. UPF is engineered for hyper-palatability and addiction. A huge cost is spent by the food industry to calculate the best ratio of different types of substances to promote overconsumption among consumers. Sugary food promotes happiness due to releasing dopamine, also known as the happy hormone, which addicts the consumer. Overconsumption of UPF reduces the intake of nutritious food needed to maintain normal brain function. The second brain, the gut, also plays a role in human emotion. Intake of non-nutritious food slowly causes a negative impact on the gut microbiome. Both organs affect eating behavior, making it more difficult to reduce consumption even while knowing its negative effects. Some studies also show that mental health and UPF intake have a bidirectional relationship.
Due to the negative health impact of UPF, some countries have implemented policies against UPF. Chile has introduced front-of-pack (FOP) labels for high salt, sugar, and fat content on food packages and banned them from being distributed in schools. Mexico has implemented a volume-based sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax to reduce consumer intake of high-sugar beverages. The food industry should reformulate their products by reducing sugar, salt, and fat. Whole foods, a healthier product, should dominate the food market to provide a balanced diet, cleaner food, and a better life for consumers.
In conclusion, UPF dominates most of the food in the market, and it is linked to various types of health risks. The intake of UPF should be reduced to avoid long-term harm despite their attractive advertisement, taste, or convenience. Multiple policy, education, and personal choice are essential for us to shift toward a healthier diet. Reducing UPF is not only about individual health but also about sustainability and future generations.
By: OOI KOK ZHANG
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