Doctor names foods to avoid in 2025
The dangers of ultra-processed foods (Illustrative photo: Freepik)
Ultra-processed foods make up about 60% of the diet for many people. These products can increase the risk of developing dementia, diabetes, and heart disease, so it's recommended to avoid them in 2025, according to the Instagram page of British epidemiologist Tim Spector.
How is ultra-processed food harmful
These are food products that have undergone significant changes compared to their original state due to processing. They typically contain ingredients such as preservatives, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and artificial colorants.
"Here's a start that's hard to swallow - 60% of our calories come from ultra-processed junk foods and it's playing havoc with our health," explained the expert.
A new study shows that high consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to significant weight gain and an increased risk of dementia, diabetes, and heart disease.
When shopping, it’s important to check the ingredient list and ensure that the product does not contain too much salt, fat, or sugar and that it includes fiber. Be cautious if the list contains ingredients you don’t immediately recognize.
A study published in the British Medical Journal showed that consuming ultra-processed foods increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes, poor mental health, and premature death.
"In general, a direct link was found between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and 32 health parameters, including mortality, cancer, mental health, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and metabolic outcomes," stated the study’s authors.
What are ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods include some of the most common categories of products:
- store-bought bread and baked goods;
- sweetened breakfast cereals;
- soups, purees, instant noodles;
- ready-made frozen meals (pizza, dumplings, nuggets, and other semi-finished products);
- yogurts with fillers and flavorings;
- processed meats, such as ham, sausages, hot dogs;
- sauces;
- chips, salted nuts, crackers, popcorn.
We also wrote about what can replace butter in the diet.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
