- Research is ongoing about how diet plays a role in mental well-being and the development of certain mental health conditions.
- A recent study found that consuming ultra-processed foods, and in particular artificial sweeteners, may increase the risk of depression.
- Experts recommend steps to improve one’s diet and reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods to decrease this risk.
Depression is a common mental health condition that can be debilitating. Researchers are still seeking the best ways to treat it and the best ways to prevent its development. One area of interest is how diet plays a role.
A recent
The study results indicate another potential benefit of limiting consumption of ultra-processed foods.
Researchers of this study looked at the relationship between ultra-processed foods and depression. Karen Z Berg, a dietitian who was not involved in the study, gave the following definition of ultra-processed foods:
“Ultra-processed foods, by the NOVA definition, are foods that are made up of manufactured ingredients with the addition of salt, oil, or sugar to make [them] palatable and to help preserve [them]. They usually don’t have any worthwhile nutritional benefits. Some examples include cold packaged snacks like chips or cookies, sodas, packaged pastries, many sweet breakfast cereals, candy, etc.”
— Karen Z Berg
“The highly processed nature of these foods often yields a cheaper product that is more shelf-stable and more palatable than a whole food item. This makes them easy to eat. They are also usually high in calories, fat, salt, and sugar which can lead to weight gain,” she told Medical News Today.
This cohort study included Nurses’ Health Study II participants who did not have depression at baseline….
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