Ultra Processed Foods And Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease

The Study

Ultra-processed foods are food products that contain extra ingredients that add palatability and extend shelf life. The research literature has recently shown that they are quite detrimental to our health. 

In this interesting study, ultra-processed foods were combined into categories to examine their long-term impact on risk of cardiovascular disease.

This study included over 200,000 subjects from 3 different Harvard cohort studies. Subjects had their ultra-processed food consumption monitored for over 30 years and were watched for incidence of heart disease and stroke. 

Among the findings:

-Total ultra-processed foods were significantly associated with cardiovascular disease risk.

-Among food groups, both processed meats and sugar sweetened beverages were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2024.100859

Take Home Message

Processed meats include bacon, sausage, hot dogs and preserved deli meats like salami and pepperoni. Strictly limit these in your diet along with sodas and other sugary beverages.