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https://theconversation.com/ultra-processed-foods-heres-what-the-evidence-actually-says-about-them-220255>
"The perils of ultra-processed foods received widespread coverage in recent
months – thanks in no small part to the publication and promotion of TV
presenter and doctor of virology Chris Van Tulleken’s book
Ultra-Processed
People.
Ultra-processed foods, in short, are commercially manufactured food products
that include ingredients you wouldn’t cook with at home. Some of this
processing makes foods more palatable, some increases shelf life and makes them
more affordable – such as wholemeal supermarket bread, for example.
Scientists have long known that foods high in saturated fat, salt, sugar,
calories or which contain too few wholegrains and fibre contribute to greater
risk of health problems – such as obesity, hypertension, heart disease and type
2 diabetes.
A fair number of ultra-processed foods will have some of these unfavourable
nutritional profiles – but many don’t. What is new and controversial about
ultra-processed food is the idea that food processing itself is deadly.
Van Tulleken’s book argues that “it is the ultra-processing, not the
nutritional content, that’s the problem”. Musing on why some pizza isn’t great
for our waist lines, he writes “the only question is whether it is an
ultra-processed food”. Van Tulleken also claims ultra-processed food is linked
to more deaths than tobacco, and is the number one cause of early death
globally.
But, in my view a lot of this is just wrong."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
