“I can’t wait to dive into that big bag of Cheetos when I get home. I always feel so great about myself after I devour a bag of Cheetos all by myself.” Said no one, ever.
Although highly palatable and momentarily delightful, ultra-processed foods can conveniently satisfy hunger and cravings during a busy day. But what's the trade-off? As tantalizing as these foods might be, they pose equal threats to our mental well-being.
Ever checked the ingredients list of ultra-processed foods? The next time you indulge in a tempting snack from a gas station, give it a glance. You might spot more chemicals listed than the number of chips in the bag. These chemicals navigate their way to your gut and then enter your bloodstream. Consuming such foods often triggers a surge of dopamine, followed by an equal or even steeper drop in dopamine. Since the majority of dopamine and other neurotransmitters are produced in the gut, the chemicals from ultra-processed foods take up prime real estate in the gut, negatively impacting mental health. Chronic consumption can lead to issues like gut and brain inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, metabolic disorders, sleep disruptions, weight gain, and uncontrollable cravings (Lang, 2023).
The ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, said that food is medicine. That means that by filling our bodies with clean and wholesome foods, we can enhance our health and longevity. However, by consuming ultra-processed foods and their inflammatory chemicals, it disrupts our gut microbiome. This causes adverse affects on our neurotransmitters and mental health. One study concluded that, “the Western diet promotes inflammation that stems from both structural and behavioral changes in the resident microbiome. The gut environment, shaped by ultra-processed foods characteristic of the Western diet, provides a unique evolutionary breeding ground for microbes promoting diverse inflammatory diseases” (Zinöcker, 2018). In a world with ultra-processed foods at every turn and every advertisement, embracing Hippocrates' wisdom has never been more important.
Take a good look at your diet to see if there are ways to improve your mental health and overall well-being. For more information or to enroll in a program designed to optimize your mental health, contact Optimize Health and Wellness and book a consultation today.
References:
Lang, K. 2023. Ultra-processed foods may increase depression risk, long-term study shows. MedicalNewsToday. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ultra-processed-foods-may-increase-depression-risk-long-term-study-shows#1
Zinöcker, M., & Lindseth, I. 2018. The Western Diet–Microbiome-Host Interaction and Its Role in Metabolic Disease. Nutrients, 10(3), 365. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10030365
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