Tag Archives: processed foods

Diet, disease, Health, Healthy eating, processed foods, Public health

How reliable are the findings that suggest emulsifiers in processed foods may increase cardiovascular risk, and what further research is needed to confirm or refute this association?

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A ground-breaking study by The BMJ sheds harsh light on the potential dangers lurking within our favorite processed foods in a shocking revelation that could shock the food industry. Brace yourself for this unsettling truth: those seemingly harmless emulsifiers, the very substances that make our indulgent treats extra mouthwatering, might actually be silently plotting against our cardiovascular health. Yes, you read that right. The very same additives found in pastries, ice cream, and ready meals could be putting our hearts at risk. It’s time to take a closer look at what we’re really consuming.

Food additives, including emulsifiers, undergo regular safety assessments based on the scientific evidence available. However, recent studies indicate these emulsifiers may disrupt gut bacteria and heighten inflammation levels, potentially increasing susceptibility to cardiovascular problems.

To investigate the potential health risks further, researchers in France undertook a study to establish possible links between exposure to emulsifiers and the risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. These diseases affect blood flow and blood vessels in the heart and brain. The study involved 95,442 French adults with no history of heart disease and averaged follow-up records for seven years. Participants provided detailed dietary records and any major CVD events they experienced.

The study revealed that higher intake of specific types of emulsifiers—total celluloses (E460–E468), cellulose (E460), and carboxymethylcellulose (E466)—was positively correlated with higher risks of CVD and, specifically, coronary heart disease. In addition, higher intakes of monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471 and E472) were related to higher risks across all studied outcomes. Among these emulsifiers, specific types were associated with higher risks of CVD and cerebrovascular diseases.

It is essential to note that this is an observational study and cannot definitively establish causality. The researchers acknowledged limitations such as the high proportion of women and the generally higher educational background of the participants, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Despite these limitations, the study could prompt a reevaluation of regulations concerning the use of food additives in the food industry to protect consumers.

Given these findings, several public health authorities recommend reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods to limit exposure to these potentially harmful additives. This study serves as a cautionary note, urging both the public and regulatory bodies to scrutinize the long-term effects of substances that are so widely incorporated into modern diets.

According to the text, the specific types of emulsifiers that are positively correlated with higher risks of CVD and, specifically, coronary heart disease are total celluloses (E460–E468), cellulose (E460), and carboxymethylcellulose (E466). The text also mentions that recent studies indicate these emulsifiers may disrupt gut bacteria and heighten inflammation levels, potentially increasing susceptibility to cardiovascular problems. To limit exposure to these potentially harmful additives, several public health authorities recommend reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Cited Works:
News-Medical.net. “High Intake of Emulsifiers May Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Disease,” September 7, 2023 https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230907/High-intake-of-emulsifiers-may-increase-risk-of-cardiovascular-disease.aspx.

Komulainen, Pirjo. “The Association of Vascular and Neuroprotective Status Indicators with Cognitive Functioning: Population-Based Studies (Verisuonisairauksien RiskitekijöIden Ja AivoperäIsen HermokasvutekijäN Yhteys Kognitiiviseen Toimintakykyyn – VäEstöTutkimus)” https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/15167220.pdf.

Diet, disease, Health, Healthy eating

Processed Foods may lead to gaining weight

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Consuming ultra-processed sustenance instead of eating minimally-processed foods may lead to weight gain in some people, higher risks of cancer, and premature death.

 A team of experts from the National Institute of Health examined the effects of eating more ultra-process foods compared to minimally processed foods.

Preceding investigations that examined how ultra-processed foods can drive weight gain. Investigators have depended on on the capability of contributors to remember the food they consumed, which is frequently problematic for the majority persons.

By carefully obeying the diet of contributors, the new research assisted researchers to differentiate the outcomes of both types of food as it occurred in real-time.

Read More at : https://www.techtimes.com/articles/243454/20190519/processed-foods-can-make-you-gain-weight-study.htm

Diet, disease, Health, Healthy eating

Ultra-Processed Foods Drive Weight Gain

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Over 70 years, ultra-processed foods appear to dominate the United States diet plan. These foods come from cheap industrial ingredients. The cheap foods are concocted to be super delicious and commonly elevated in fat, sugar, and salt.

The growth of ultra-processed foods has overlapped with increasing proportions of obesity, leading many to mistrust they have performed a big role in our developing waistlines. Is it something about the highly processed character of these foods itself that pushes persons to overindulge? New inquiry discoveries the response is yes.

The study, led by investigators at the National Institutes of Health, is the first randomized, controlled trial to display that consuming a diet made up of ultra-processed foods really pushes people to overindulge and gain weight related with a diet made up of whole or slightly processed foods. Study contributors to the ultra-processed diet consumed an average of 508 calories more per day and gained an average of 2 pounds over a two-week period. People on the organic diet, in the meantime, ended up losing about 2 pounds on average over a two-week timeline.