Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations of substances made from foods (fats, oils, sugars, starch, and protein isolates) with little or no whole foods. Manufacturers often add colors, flavors, emulsifiers, and other additives for cosmetic enhancement and other non-essential purposes.

The result? We have lots of low-cost production products that are convenient and taste great, rather than unprocessed (or minimally processed) foods.

We know that ultra-processed foods can harm our health, leading to chronic conditions such as high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, and obesity. A recently reported study from Brazil illustrates another peril: Ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption appears to be linked with a significant increase in all-cause premature, preventable deaths.

Defining ultra-processed foods

When it comes to my local grocery store, I sometimes fantasize about placing a big sign at the ends of the aisles of processed foods shouting, “avoid this area.” You may have heard a newer term, ultra-processed foods. We are seeing increasing evidence linking this food category to significant health risks.

So, you may wonder, what is the difference between processed and ultra-processed foods? Processed food is simply one altered from its original form.

The International Food Information Council defines processing as “any deliberate change in a food that occurs before it is ready for us to eat.” Examples of processed foods include pasteurized, heated, canned, or dried ones. Some consider refrigerated foods to be processed.

Most foods have processing to some extent. Processing does not always make a given food less healthy. Researchers created a classification scheme to understand processing better.

• NOVA Group 1. Minimally processed and unprocessed foods. Vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, and nuts fall into this category. These foods may have gone through roasting, boiling, or pasteurization to increase shelf life or make them safe to eat.
• NOVA Group 2. Processed culinary ingredients obtained directly from group 1 foods or nature. Examples include olive oil, maple syrup, and salt. Group 2 foods are mostly substances used to prepare and cook group 1 foods.
• NOVA Group 3. Processed foods, including items made by adding ingredients like salt, sugar, or other substances from group 2 to group 1 food. Examples include fresh bread, fruits in syrup, and cheese.
• NOVA Group 4. Ultra-processed foods. These contain little, if any, of the foods or ingredients from group 1. These items are meant to be convenient, hyper-palatable, and low-cost and are usually high in sugars, refined grains, fats, preservatives, and salt.

Let’s look more closely at NOVA Group 4, the ultra-processed foods. As you can see from the following examples, foods in this group usually have substances you and I don’t use when we cook at home.

Examples of ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods include colorants, flavorings, modified starches, hydrolyzed proteins, hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, and bulking agents. And I would be very remiss if I didn’t include my bete noir, high fructose corn syrup.

While reasonable individuals may disagree about classifying foods as highly processed, the guidelines appear reasonable.

Examples of ultra-processed foods include sugary beverages such as carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit punch, and sugar-laden coffee drinks.

Reconstituted meat products (such as hot dogs and fish sticks) fall into the ultra-processed category, as do frozen pizza and TV dinners. If you had sweet or savory packaged snacks such as cookies or chips, you had highly-processed foods. Not surprisingly, candies fall into this food group, too.

Other culprits include sweetened breakfast cereals, baking mixes (such as cake, brownie, or cookie mixes), packaged buns, and bread. I recently wrote about protein bars (and shakes).

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Other problematic foods include ice cream, sweetened yogurt, cocoa mixes, instant soups, and boxed pasta products. Finally, margarine and ultra-processed spreads (for example, sweetened cream cheese) are NOVA Group 4 foods.

In summary, as Healthline nicely explains:

"Highly processed, or ultra-processed, foods contain few or no minimally processed or unprocessed ingredients and tend to be higher in calories, salt, fat, and added sugars. Plus, they contain additives such as flavor enhancers and thickeners."

Ultra-processed foods and premature death

Scientists designed a study to estimate premature deaths due to the consumption of ultra-processed foods in Brazil. The researchers estimated that approximately 57,000 individuals between 30 and 69 died prematurely from ultra-processed food consumption.

The Brazilian study is the first to estimate how ultra-processed food consumption impacts longevity. Researchers relied on a previous analysis, which compared the mortality risk of individuals consuming copious processed food to those who ate relatively small amounts of it.

Why age 30 to 69? The World Health Organization (WHO) considers death from non-communicable diseases premature at those ages. Here are the disturbing findings:

"If all adults in Brazil ensured that ultra-processed food made up less than 23 percent of their daily calories, the country might see around 20,000 fewer premature deaths annually. Most Brazilians are below that threshold, but a quarter of the country’s adult population gets up to half of its daily calories from ultra-processed food."

Before we in the United States point fingers, I remind you that, on average, ultra-processed food makes up around 57 percent of daily calories. The study’s lead author volunteers that “it is very likely that heart disease is among the main factors” contributing to these premature deaths. Diabetes, cancer, obesity, and chronic kidney disease may play a role as well,” he adds.

Research links ultra-processed food consumption with other negative health outcomes, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive decline.

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Finally, this is not the first study to demonstrate an association between ultra-processed food consumption (in large amounts) and a higher overall risk of death. An Italian study reported similar findings.

In addition, previous studies showed that ultra-processed food consumption is linked to other health problems, including an elevated risk for diabetes, cognitive decline, heart disease, and cancer.

Completely avoid ultra-processed foods?

The new study adds to a growing scientific literature linking ultra-processed food consumption to chronic diseases and premature death. The researchers remind us that a healthy, balanced diet should be centered on minimally processed fresh foods when possible. I would steer away from too many ultra-processed foods.

Do we in the United States need policies that disincentivize ultra-processed food consumption? Nutrition education might be one component, as is improving access to healthy foods in so-called food deserts.

It is not essential to dodge all highly processed foods to enjoy a healthy life. I eat for joy and as a part of social engagement. Oh, I like desserts that incorporate dark chocolate. Still, I try to consume such foods in moderation and work hard to increase my consumption of whole, minimally processed foods.

Is this approach easy for me? No, but having grapes, apples, and nuts within reach makes it easier. While I recognize that the term is overly broad, I prefer a Mediterranean diet pattern. And the occasional chocolate dessert.

Thank you for joining me today. I hope that you have a joy-filled day.

The post More Evidence Linking Ultraprocessed Foods and Early Death appeared first on Medika Life.

Many of us struggle to get the optimal nightly seven to nine hours of sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society recommends that adults (ages 18 to 60) sleep seven or more hours regularly for optimal sleep health.

The National Sleep Foundation consensus report recommends seven to nine hours for adults aged 18 to 64 and seven to eight hours for those 65 and older.

Getting insufficient sleep puts your physical and mental health at risk. According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than one-third of adults in the United States report sleeping fewer than six hours daily. The rates are even higher among younger adults and those with a low socioeconomic status.

Short sleep can increase our risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and premature mortality. Poor sleep takes a toll on the mind and the body.

Sleep, ambient light, and cardiovascular risk

Sleep researchers at Northwestern University (USA) report that exposure to even small amounts of ambient light at night can negatively affect cardiovascular function.

We already have some evidence that too much evening light may negatively impact our metabolism. Light exposure is associated with a drop in glucose (sugar) tolerance and decreased insulin resistance.

Light exposure before bedtime has perils.

Insulin resistance occurs when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and cannot use blood glucose for energy. To make up for this change, your pancreas makes more insulin. With time, your blood sugar levels rise.

Expose yourself to pre-bedtime light, and you may put your sleep and some physiological functions at risk.

Light exposure during bedtime also is dangerous.

Does that muted television threaten you and your sleep? According to a new study of healthy young adults, the answer appears to be yes.

Researchers examined heart rate, sleep quality, glucose levels, and other variables during one night of sleeping in a dark room (three lux) and one night in a moderately lit room (100 lux).

Here are the findings:

Sleeping in a moderately lit room increased heart rate and activated the sympathetic nervous system during sleep. The practice also impaired the next morning’s glucose regulation.

Sleep specialist Dr. Nilong Nyas explains:

“Your eyes are your direct connection to the part of the brain that controls the circadian rhythm. [Light exposure] is interpreted by the brain to allow the chemical reactions to take place for healthy (or unhealthy) sleep cycles.”

Dr. Nyas adds that “if there’s a significant amount of light interference at a time when your body’s trying to sleep, it can cause poor sleep or unhealthily programmed sleep cycles, which can lead to a significant number of other medical issues.”

For me, the research findings mean sleeping in as dark a room as possible to optimize my sleep quality and health.

Sleep struggles? Try these strategies.

Here are some ways you may be able to improve your sleep, courtesy of the Sleep Foundation:

• Cover your windows. Consider investing in blackout curtains if your blinds or curtains don’t sufficiently block light.
• Mind the gap. Turn off any hallway lights before bedtime, or place a rolled-up towel against the door gap to stop light from entering.
• Wear an eye mask. Light can penetrate our eyelids, potentially inhibiting the sleep hormone melatonin.
• Ditch the electronics. Put away light sources such as computers, cell phones, charging stations, digital clocks, and other electronics. Cover their lights or put them outside your bedroom.
• Dim the lights. In the hours pre-bedtime, try transitioning to dim ambient light.
• Consider your nighttime needs. I sometimes need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. I try to avoid exposure to high-volume light. Still, be safe: You may need motion-sensor nightlights, but try to minimize your light exposure if it is safe to do so.

Other strategies include:

• Avoiding alcohol.
• Cutting off caffeine early in the day.
• Avoiding vigorous exercise in the late evening.

In summary, light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function. Are you prioritizing high-quality sleep of adequate duration?

The post Is Your Bedroom Dark Enough? appeared first on Medika Life.

But do you still get the health benefits of coffee consumption if you add a bit of sugar to your cup?

In the form of observational studies, we have lower-level evidence that coffee intake reduces the probability of premature death. Still, these studies did not distinguish between coffee consumed with sugar or artificial sweeteners and coffee consumed without such additives.

In this context, Chinese investigators sought to determine if we could destroy coffee’s life-lengthening properties if we added sweeteners.

Coffee is popular

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages globally, with my medical office being no exception. You may wonder about the health upsides and perils of consuming it.

We Americans consume over half a billion cups of coffee daily, with two-thirds of us reporting consumption within the past day.

A 2017 study demonstrated an inverse association between coffee consumption and early mortality: High coffee consumers had lower all-cause mortality risks than non-consumers after adjustments and for covariates such as smoking.

The researchers in the historical study reported similar inverse associations for caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption. However, among men, the association of caffeinated coffee with all-cause mortality appeared less pronounced than for decaffeinated coffee.

Coffee and early mortality

Researchers sought to evaluate the associations of consumption of sugar-sweetened, artificially sweetened, and unsweetened coffee with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

They used data from the United Kingdom Biobank study to evaluate the associations of sugar-sweetened, artificially sweetened, and unsweetened coffee consumption with mortality.

Here are the findings after a seven-year follow-up period:

• Those who drank any amount of unsweetened coffee were up to one-fifth (16 to 21 percent) less likely to die prematurely than participants who did not drink coffee.
• Those who consumed 1.5 to 3.5 daily cups of coffee sweetened with sugar were nearly one-third (29 to 31 percent) less likely to die than participants who did not drink coffee. On average, adults drinking sugar-sweetened coffee added only about one teaspoon of sugar per coffee.
• Results appeared inconclusive for participants who used artificial sweeteners in their coffee.

Coffee and longevity: My take

Coffee contains numerous substances that make health benefits possible. Observational studies have the problem of controlling for confounding variables, including diet, socioeconomic status, and other lifestyle characteristics.

Please note that the amount of daily sugar per cup of coffee is, on average, much lower than specialty drinks at your local popular coffee chain (no names offered by this Seattle resident).

Still, it is heartening to know that I can keep my single cup of espresso in my diet, but I will continue to be careful with high-calorie specialty coffees. I will also continue to dodge sugary drinks such as soda.

The post Do Coffee Lovers Live Longer? And That Added Sugar? appeared first on Medika Life.