Scientists from Josep Trueta University Hospital (Spain), as part of a research team, discovered that overly processed foods (fast food, frozen ready meals, chocolate, baked goods) can reduce the volume of certain parts of the brain and cause depression. Research results published at Science Direct.
Ultra-processed foods are foods produced with preservatives, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers and artificial flavors. These foods are low in nutritional value, protein and dietary fiber, but high in calories due to their high fat and sugar content.
152 adults participated in the study, 89 of whom were obese. Volunteers provided information about their eating habits and filled out questionnaires to assess the severity of depressive symptoms. Scientists have found that consuming ultra-processed foods is associated with a higher risk of developing this disease and a more severe course of the disease.
Researchers then evaluated the effects of eating these foods on the human brain. It turned out that large amounts of fast food, baked goods, chocolate and ready-made frozen foods contribute to a decrease in the volume of brain matter in the left part of the amygdala and the posterior cingulate cortex. These areas are important components of the brain’s reward system, which is a collection of structures involved in regulating and controlling behavior through positive responses to actions.
In other words, the amygdala and posterior cingulate cortex process information about past food experiences and influence future decisions about what foods to eat. The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex was another brain region that decreased in volume. This part is responsible for cognitive control, that is, the ability to resist the desire for immediate reward (for example, delicious food).
Such changes in the brain lead to changes in food preferences – the desire for fatty, sweet and high-calorie foods and the inability to stop eating them. Some studies have shown that malnutrition contributes to the development of various diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
Previous scientists I learnedNot all ultra-processed foods are harmful.