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- Researchers say that a regular diet that includes ultra-processed foods increases the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- They say foods like red meat and salty snacks don’t necessarily increase the risk. Rather, it is the way food is processed.
- Experts say you can reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods in your diet by buying products with fewer ingredients and preparing those foods in your kitchen where you don’t use as many additives or preservatives.
Eating ultra-processed foods increases the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
This is the main conclusion of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study published this week in
An international team of researchers drew on detailed dietary information from 116,087 adults between the ages of 35 and 70 living in 21 low-, middle- and high-income countries.
The study ran from 2003 to 2016 and self-assessments were performed at least every 3 years.
Over a mean follow-up of nearly 10 years, 467 participants developed IBD (377 with ulcerative colitis and 90 with Crohn’s disease).
Other important findings:
- an 82 percent increased risk of IBD with five or more servings of ultra-processed foods per day
- a 67% increased risk of IBD with one to four servings of ultra-processed foods per day
The results were consistent for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. However, as the researchers noted, the results were based on self-reported diagnoses and did not take into account dietary changes over time.
Foods associated with digestive problems include:
- soft drink
- refined sweet foods
- salty snacks
- processed meat
the
- persistent diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- rectal bleeding or bloody stools
- weightloss
- tired
White and red meat, dairy products, starch, fruits, vegetables and legumes (such as peas, beans and lentils) were not directly associated with an increased risk of IBD.
Therefore, according to the researchers, it may not be the food itself that increases this risk, but rather the way the food is processed.
Regardless of the study’s limitations and the need for more research, nutrition experts say this isn’t the only time ultra-processed or processed foods have been linked to gut issues.
“We have seen similar data over the past 18 months showing similar results,” said Kristin kirkpatrick, MS, RDN, nutritionist and bestselling author of “Skinny Liver: A Proven Program to Prevent and Reverse the New Silent Epidemic – Fatty Liver Disease”.
“Ultra-processed foods are devoid of nutrients, full of additives, and impact the brain in such a way that the person who consumes them may have trouble controlling portions,” Kirkpatrick told Healthline. “There’s a reason we can’t put down a bag of chips, but can easily stop eating broccoli after a serving. ”
Previous search argues that eating a diet richer in processed foods means consuming more calories on average compared to eating fewer processed foods.
Diets high in processed foods have also been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and
the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explains that there are different levels of processed foods to watch out for in your diet. It encourages people to choose items that are closer to the minimally treated side of the spectrum more often.
- Low-processed foods: These foods are often simply prepared for convenience. Examples include bagged spinach, chopped vegetables, and roasted nuts.
- Foods processed at their peak: They lock in nutritional quality and freshness. Examples include canned tomatoes, frozen fruits and vegetables, and canned fish.
- Foods with added ingredients: Examples include sweeteners, spices, oils, colors, and preservatives (i.e., pot pasta sauce, dressing, yogurt, and cake mixes).
- Heavily processed foods: These include ready-to-eat foods, such as crackers, cereals, and cold cuts.
- Ultra-processed foods: These are often ready-made meals, like frozen pizzas and microwaveable dinners.
If you find ultra-processed foods an important part of your daily diet, experts say be patient when changing your default eating habits to whole, nutrient-dense choices.
Here are some tips from Kirkpatrick on how to reduce your intake of processed foods:
- The fewer ingredients there are, the less they are processed: Go for whole foods with minimal ingredients.
- Recreate your favorites: Find your favorite ultra-processed food and recreate it in your kitchen. Avoid including additives and preservatives.
- Limit fast cooking foods: Keep these foods at no more than one serving per week.
- Focus more on cooking: Prepare your meals more often, rather than having your meals delivered or prepared by a company.
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Sources 2/ https://www.healthline.com/health-news/ultra-processed-foods-may-increase-the-risk-of-inflammatory-bowel-disease The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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