BOISE, Idaho — What are ultra-processed foods and why are they so bad for your health? Wellness Wednesday takes a look.
- If you read the label and don’t recognize a lot of the words, it’s probably ultra-processed.
- Ultra-processed foods are proven to increase your risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dementia.
(Below is the transcript of the broadcast story)
Ultra-processed foods — they’re delicious, but not very good for you. I’m senior reporter Roland Beres for Wellness Wednesday where we’re healthier together, and today we look at why ultra-processed foods are so bad for us and how to avoid them.
Ultra-processed foods are all around us — so what exactly are they?
"Things like energy drinks, sports drinks, breakfast cereals, margarine — these are not things that grow in nature. And if it doesn’t grow in nature it probably is processed to some extent,” said Dr. Daniel Meltzer.
A good rule of thumb is if you read the label and don’t know most of the words, it’s probably ultra-processed.
So why are they so bad for us?
"Those that eat a steady diet of processed foods have about a 30 percent higher mortality rate than consumers who eat a lower amount of processed foods,” said Dr. Meltzer.
Dr. Meltzer says that’s because they’re proven to increase your risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dementia.
So, how do we avoid them? The best thing may be to stick to a strategy at the grocery store.
“Generally the good stuff is in outside and the sugar cereal and chips and energy drinks and candy bars do tend to be sandwiched in the middle," said Dr. Meltzer.
So the next time you have a hankering for a boatload of fries, you might consider a nice fresh apple instead.
