How does ultra-processing "hinder" health? Popularization of science 1、 Ultra processing is quietly underway"Reversal"Your immune system
2025An analysis onfound that[3]:Intake of ultra processed foodsis significantly positively correlated with7Key immune inflammatory markers. For every increase in the intake of ultra processed foods1standard deviation, the systemic immune inflammation index increases12.595units, which is equivalent to throwing a"inflammation bomb".
2、 Every bite of ultra processed foodputs pressure on the heart
The damage of ultra processed food to the cardiovascular system mainly comes from its high oil, high sugar, high salt, high fat, low nutrition, and large amount of additives. Research has found that:Increasing one serving of ultra processed food per day increases the risk of cardiovascular events< H362>7%[5]。
3、 Eating ultra processed foods can really shorten one's life
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition once had a heavyweight display that[4]: Eating more than3servings of ultra processed foods every day,18>Increased risk of telomere shortening82%, equivalent to accelerated aging of biological age4.6years!
How to recognize ultra-processed foods at a glance? Popularization of science To instantly recognize ultra-processed foods, one only needs to grasp the core of "Industrial Recipe"
*. Look at the packaging:
① High barrier material (aluminum foil, inner plastic film, nitrogen gas filling)
② High color printing (large-area cartoon, contrasting colors)
③ High convenience (microwave oven 2 minutes, ready-to-eat, open-bag drinkable)
④ Long shelf life (≥3months and room temperature)
*. Look at the ingredient list: Many ingredients with unfamiliar names
If you find a long list of chemical names or processed ingredients in the ingredient list, it is basically confirmed that this is an ultra-processed food.
In a nutshell, packaged flowers, with multiple ingredients, cannot be made at homecan basically determine whether it is ultra-processed food or not.
How to detoxify from regularly consuming ultra-processed foods Popularization of science Ultra-processed foods, with their complete "color, aroma, taste, and flavor" and convenient eating, have become a part of people's lives. On the basis of mastering the "portion control", combining them with some healthy foods can minimize the adverse health effects brought by ultra-processed foods. 1. Combining with high dietary fiber foods: Due to the lack of natural fiber in ultra-processed foods, combining them with high dietary fiber foods can allow fiber to form a physical barrier, delaying the contact between starch, fat, and digestive enzymes, increasing satiety, and reducing the impact on blood sugar. It is important to note that high dietary fiber foods should be eaten before ultra-processed foods, such as eating a bowl of high fiber vegetables, beans, or oats first.
2、 Eating high potassium foods
High sodium content in ultra processed foods is also a characteristic. Processed meat and ham are both"Disaster stricken areas". Excessive sodium intake can have adverse effects on blood pressure, while supplementing with high potassium foods can help the body drive away excess sodium.
The potassium in the body mainly comes from food. Mature dried beans only need50grams of dried beans to provide adults with daily potassium elements, including soybeans, black beans, kidney beans, red beans, and mung beans.
In addition, potatoes, yams, taro, spinach, mustard greens, water spinach, bamboo shoots, lotus roots, fresh dates, bananas, longan, coconuts, etc. also have high potassium content.
3、 Supplementing fermented foods
Probiotics in sugar free yogurt, natto, and miso can help repair gut microbiota damaged by ultra processed foods.
In short, cancer treatment is like a tug of war between immunity and cancer cells. Ultra processed foods can be the invisible hand that continuously boosts inflammation, disrupts metabolism, and feeds cancer cells when your immune system is most vulnerable.
Eating right is the most economical, proactive, and daily experience for cancer patients
"Immunotherapy"
From today on, eat well!
[1] Wang K, Zhao J, Yang D, Sun M, Zhou W, Wu Y. Association between ultra-processed food consumption and lung cancer risk: a population-based cohort study. Thorax. Published online July 29, 2025.
[2] Kiara Chang et al, Ultra-processed food consumption, cancer risk and cancer mortality: a large-scale prospective analysis within the UK Biobank, eClinicalMedicine (2023). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101840
[3] Association between intake of ultra processed foods and biomarkers of systemic immune inflammation in American adults: a cross-sectional study based on NHANES 2003-2023
[4] Lucia Alonso Pedro, Ana Ojeda Rodr í guez, Miguel A Mart í nez Gonz á lez, Guillermo Zalba, Maira Bes-Rastrollo, Amelia Marti, Ultra-processed food consumption and the risk of short telomeres in an elderly population of the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Project, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 111, Issue 6, June 2020, Pages 1259–1266, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa075
[5] Ultra-Processed Foods and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in the Framingham Offspring Study. JACC, 2021
Reviewed by: Lehe New Medical Department
Edited/typeset by: JOJOClick to view past exciting content
