Ultra Processed Foods and the Gut-Brain Connection
Would you be able to identify all of the “ultra processed foods” (UPFs) you eat in a day? For the standard American household, UPFs make up about 60% of total caloric intake. 70% of all packaged foods in the United States is considered ultra-processed. That’s a staggering figure considering the evidence that UPFs lead to negative health outcomes such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, allergies, digestive disorders and even cancer.
In this blog, I highlight an important association between UPFs and mental health. Some people refer to the gut as the “second brain.” Known as the Gut-Brain Axis, the gut and brain directly influence each other through millions of nerve connections. Read on to find out why this is important for mental health.
A 2022 study in the journal “Public Health Nutrition” analyzed over 10,000 adults. Those who had the highest levels of UPF consumption were more likely to report low mood, depression and anxiety. Further, a 2009 study in Brazil showed that in those individuals who ate more than 20% of their diet in UPFs, there was a 28% accelerated decline in cognitive functioning (the ability to learn, remember, reason and solve problems). What was also shown was that those who followed a “MIND” diet (Mediterranean-DASH diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) showed a greatly reduced risk of developing dementia.
HOW SPECIFICALLY DO UPFs AFFECT MENTAL HEALTH?
1. Those who have high consumption of UPFs lack fiber in their diet. Fiber feeds healthy gut bacteria which are essential in establishing proper gut-brain communication. The breakdown of fiber in the digestive system produces short-chain fatty acids. Short chain fatty acids have anti-inflammatory, antitumorigenic, and antimicrobial effects. In those suffering from depression and other mental disorders, there is a lack in diversity of gut bacteria as well as fewer short-chain fatty acids.
2. Additionally, quality proteins and fats play a critical role in adding new connections and laying down myelin sheaths in the brain. A lack of these nutrients negatively impacts efficient electrical transmission along nerve cells.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. Follow the MIND diet by incorporating whole grains, leafy greens, legumes, nuts, berries, fish, chicken and olive oil. If you don’t have at least two foods from these categories on a daily basis, start by choosing one and work it into your daily diet:
-Replace canola oil with olive oil
-Replace processed dairy items with a low-processed dip (such as hummus, baba ghanouj or other bean dip). Make your own.
-Reduce consumption of bread and pasta by 50% and add a fresh salad and other vegetables to your meal.
2. The MIND diet encourages limiting consumption of butter and margarine, cheese, red meat, fried food, pastries, and sweets because they contain large amounts of saturated fat and trans fat.
3. Read Labels. Be wary of long lists of ingredients and those containing substances you would never add to your own home cooking.
4. Find easy ways to cook simple, healthy and tasty meals. Freeze quality proteins like clean fish and organic chicken thighs. Keep frozen vegetables on hand and roast them. Consume tofu and other soy products once or twice a week. Use an Instant Pot to make soup. Soups freeze well.
As a renowned naturopathic physician with over twenty years of experience in treating a wide-range of chronic conditions, Dr. Barnett is an expert in clinical nutrition and science based natural medicine. She can assess the quality of your current diet and put you on a path of healing by making targeted and practical dietary interventions. Contact staff@drclara.com to make an appointment.