According to Professor of Psychology and Brain Evan Forman, Drexel University (USA), processed foods often contain more salt, sugar, and fat than normal. Besides, they also contain many flavors to attract buyers.
These foods include packaged foods; ready-to-eat breakfast cereals; most fast foods; mass-produced breads and desserts; processed meat and fish products such as sausages, hot dogs and fish sticks; soft drinks; confectionery, ice cream...
It is estimated that energy from processed foods accounts for nearly 60% of total daily calories consumed in the United States.
This food has been proven to be addictive. According to a statistic published in National Geographic , 20% of adults and 15% of teenagers and children show signs of addiction to processed foods.
Processed foods have been shown to be addictive (Photo illustration: Unsplash).
Addictive like "cigarettes"
According to Professor of Psychology Ashley Gearhardt, University of Michigan (USA), processed foods "provide energy in unusually high doses in an unusually fast way". This type of food stimulates appetite, causing many people to eat out of control, and is even related to tobacco and alcohol use disorders.
“Cravings are a key feature of addiction. This is most evident in people who frequently eat processed foods,” says Gearhardt.
Another study in 2022 by Professor Gearhardt also applied the criteria for determining the addictiveness of tobacco products to processed foods. The results showed that processed foods have the same addictive potential as cigarettes.
In a study on mice, scientists found that obese mice tended to ignore healthy foods, even being shocked by electricity, in order to eat industrial cakes and chocolate.
In addition, their post-meal responses were similar to those of smokers after being given nicotine. The researchers also measured the excitement index of the mice given the sweet food to spike like their counterparts given nicotine in cigarette smoke.
Additionally, scientists have also found withdrawal symptoms in people who stop consuming processed foods.
“Many people get headaches, feel tired and become irritable when they stop eating these foods,” says Professor Forman.
Consuming a lot of ultra-processed foods has been linked to many health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, anxiety, and even death.
Consuming too much processed food can cause many negative health effects (Illustration: Unsplash).
Alarms from the body
Many studies have shown that processed foods cause comprehensive harm to the body, from the cardiovascular system, nervous system, brain... Symptoms can appear in the very early stages or when the disease has become severe.
Weight gain
Weight gain is the earliest sign that your body is consuming too much energy without eliminating it. Fast food is often high in calories, fat, protein, and lacks vitamins and minerals, which can cause obesity for those who tend to overeat.
If you frequent fast food restaurants, you should know that a burger, fries, and a soft drink can add up to 1,000 calories or more in a single meal. Consuming more calories than your body needs each day can lead to weight gain over time.
Gastritis
Overeating not only causes digestive discomfort such as stomachache, bloating, indigestion, etc., but is also related to gastritis. When you eat too much, food will stay in the stomach longer, the stomach lining will be exposed to more acid, leading to gastritis. The inflammation erodes the stomach lining, causing shallow erosions or sometimes deep ulcers, which in the long term can lead to the risk of stomach cancer.
Acne and wrinkles
Eating too much processed food containing lots of sugar and salt not only causes overweight and obesity but also speeds up the aging process.
Eating too much sugar will cause cells to work too hard, sugar molecules will combine with proteins to create glycation. This is the cause of collagen damage, causing sagging skin and deep wrinkles. In addition, acne is also a symptom that you are eating too much sugar.
Uncomfortable
Processed foods high in sugar can increase dopamine, the happy hormone in the brain. One of the signs of sugar addiction is that you need to add sugar to your daily food to feel satisfied.
Additionally, another sign of processed food addiction is feeling moody, irritable, or stressed frequently.
Additionally, eating too much sugar can promote inflammation, worsen your mood, and lead to symptoms of depression. When you consume a food high in sugar, your blood sugar levels rise rapidly. As your body processes these foods, your energy levels drop, leaving you feeling sluggish.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/chuyen-gia-canh-bao-loai-thuc-pham-gay-nghien-tuong-tu-thuoc-la-20250528093105151.htm
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