According to reports, ultra-processed foods (aka JUNK food) is playing a part in your depression. That means when you are eating your feelings to feel better…..it’s actually making it worse.
Epoch Times reports:
A 2024 systematic umbrella review in the BMJ linked UPFs to a myriad of chronic conditions that could warrant a warning label. One of the overlooked dangers of consuming UPFs is their impact on mental health.UPFs are linked to depression and anxiety through effects like increased inflammation and disruption of the microbiome. Reducing UPF consumption can be difficult due to UPFs’ effects on brain chemistry, but adopting practical strategies can be the first step toward improving mental health.
If your food isn’t harvested or killed for meat, then it’s likely you are consuming ultra processed foods….it may have even started as something that was meant to nourish your body, but was processed into something that is no longer healthy.
UPFs, as defined by the Nova classification, include items like packaged snacks, soft drinks, instant noodles, and ready-made meals. These products are made from chemically altered food extracts and additives designed to improve flavor, texture, and shelf life.
“If you can’t pronounce the ingredients on a label or wouldn’t stock it in your pantry, it’s likely ultra-processed,” Theresa Gentile, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told The Epoch Times.
In 2022, a meta-analysis found that ultra-processed food consumption is linked to mental health, and that those with a higher UPF consumption had a 53% higher chance of experiencing depression and anxiety.
Research shows that higher consumption of artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, and flavor enhancers like monosodium glutamate (MSG)—both common in UPFs—disrupts neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation, including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (increases alertness and focus).
The high intake of these foods are believed to disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, which is also linked to gut-brain health and the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin.