A dietician decided to eat ultra-processed food for an entire month to see the bad rep is justified.
Ultra-processed food has long been linked to major health problems, such as cancer, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
It's basically industrially manufactured food with minimal whole ingredients, often containing additives like preservatives, colourings, and flavour enhancers.
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Many medical professionals hold the view of oncology dietitian Dr Nichole, from the US, who previously explained why there are certain types of food and drink she avoids.
Taking to her TikTok account @oncology.nutrition.rd, she said: "I do not order a pepperoni pizza, processed meats increase colorectal cancer is, also at any consumption.
"Okay, so here's the deal with alcohol and processed meats, those are the only two foods that increased risk of cancer, at any consumption.
"So I do not have pepperoni pizza. What I like to put on my pizza, I'll have cheese or I'll do vegetarian, I'll do chicken or I'll even get raw sausage from a store, cook that, and then I'll make like a homemade pizza and put that on top of that."
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Meanwhile, Dietician Jessica Wilson has fought back against claims that ultra-processed food is that bad for you.
For a month, she ate pre-packaged, frozen meals and takeaway foods, getting 80 percent of her daily calories from highly processed foods
Joining in on the debate, she told TIME: "How can this entire category of foods be something we’re supposed to avoid?"
The food expert swapped her morning eggs for chorizo and consumed ready-to-eat meals.
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Snacking-wise, she had cashew-milk yogurt with jam and for dinner she’d usually have chicken sausage with vegetables and Tater-Tots.
Believe it or not, Wilson said she found that she actually had more energy and less anxiety.
But going off NHS advice, the health service leans more towards the downsides of ultra-processed foods.
They say: "Diets high in ultra-processed foods have been linked to an increased risk of health conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
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"It’s not known if ultra-processed foods are unhealthy due to the processing or because of the calories, fat, salt and sugar they contain.
"Eating a lot of processed and red meat is also linked with an increased risk of bowel cancer.
"Some ultra-processed foods can be included in a healthy diet – such as wholemeal sliced bread, wholegrain or higher fibre breakfast cereals or baked beans."
For more advice, please get in touch with your GP.
Topics: Food And Drink, Health
Anish Vij