Processed products cause depression and deterioration of mental health
In the United States, the processed products are widespread and even constitute 70% of certain packaged foods. Other than the physical consequences (obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 1 and 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancers’) caused by these processed products, mood and mental health are also affected according to a study by Florida Atlantic University. Their study involved surveying 10,359 American adults who had never taken drugs like cocaine and heroin in their lives. The researchers asked them a series of questions every day to assess the dpression lgre‘, the number of days of anxiety and mental unhealthiness. The result is clear, the mental health of people, who eat processed products more than others, is more deteriorated.
It is better to control your food urges to avoid mental health problems – Photography dragana991 / Getty Images
Food Classification
To know the nutritional quality of each food, there is a classification system created by the United Nations, called NOVA. All researchers use this system to categorize finished foods into 4 classes:
Raw or slightly processed foods: meats (pork, beef, chicken), fruits and vegetables, natural drinks, fruit juices, wheat
Transformed culinary ingredients: oils, butters, salt, syrup
Metamorphosed foods: dairy products, canned fish, bread… It is the combination of raw foods and culinary ingredients.
Ultra-processed foods or processed products: sugary and carbonated drinkscookies, deli meats, soda, candy, frozen food These are industrial foods that are made up of preservatives, colorings, added sugar, mulsifiers, sugars, gluten, soy protein isolate, hydrogen oils.
It is the latter which are very harmful to mental health, creating depression, because of its compositions, if they are consumed very frequently. Moreover, processed products contain few raw foods and nutrients such as vitamins, fibers, fatty acids, calciums, proteins and many more. On the contrary, they are made up of too many calories, carbohydrates, cholesterols, additives’
The impacts of added sugars and processed fats on the brain
According to scientists, processed products cause lasting damage to the brain and neurons. As a result, mental health and morale are affected. These industrial components alter cerebral insulin, which upsets humor and optimism. Hormones that cause happiness and pleasure like dopamine and serotonin will also be less secreted. In other words, people usually consuming the processed products will always have low spirits, bad moods, a lot of sadness or weariness and easily reachable depression. The author of the study, Dr. Charles H. Hennekens said that the results of his studies concerning the processed products are so important that they will be added to the data representing the negative effects of the latter. Our nutrition and our eating habits must be healthy and natural
With ETX/AFP Relax News