Study: Consuming Processed Food Hurting Brain

New research is illuminating how ultra-processed foods can also cause a significant decrease in the brain function of people. The research was presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, conducted in San Diego, and has outlined how foods such as instant noodles, frozen meals, and sugary drinks all play a factor in a faster rate of cognitive decline.

Rafael Perez-Escamilla, a professor of public health at Yale University, said that it is no secret that physical and mental-cognitive health have been intimately involved with each other, so it is no surprise that the latest research suggests brain impairment. He also said that only 100 calories of processed food can also affect their physical health.

Rafael Perez-Escamilla said the new research has linked ultra-processed food consumption to health problems such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and diabetes. They are starting to realize that they affect the brain. He also said that, this is because they cause inflammation, which can affect the neurotransmitters in the brain, and the processes also operate on a micro level along with billions of bacteria cells that carry out the functions.

Based on the findings, the participants, who were getting 20 percent of their daily calories from the ultra-processed foods had seen a faster decrease in the cognitive performance over the period of 6 to 10 years.