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SAN JOSE, Calif. – A new study says ultra-processed foods can be detrimental to your physical health and even lead to a premature death. But in a world where food scarcity is common, dietitians still stress that access to any food, even processed, is vital.
We’ve all faced the temptation to grab a bag of chips for a snack instead of an apple, but a new study published in the National Institute of Health may help you think twice.
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The study says ultra-processed foods like sweet or salty drinks or packaged snacks can shave years off your life.
Rick Caraccilo of San Jose tells KTVU he recently changed his eating habits, following the advice of his doctor. He says making the healthy choice isn’t always easy.
“These last few months I’ve changed over, but I go back and go back, it’s hard. It’s like giving up cigarettes or liquor,” Caraccilo told KTVU.
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As food science has moved forward, so has the big food business, which has dived into the chemical engineering of foods to make them taste saltier or sweeter to our brains, while providing little added nutrition to our bodies.
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Younger folks we spoke to focus on whole foods
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What they’re saying:
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College students in San Jose tell KTVU processed foods bring one thing to mind:
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“Chemicals and the way they are manufactured,” says Santa Clara University student Radhika Modi. Modi is a vegetarian, and she says it feels like that often keeps her healthier, and sometimes even safer due to food-borne illness.
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“I’m picturing whatever chemicals that are added to keep the products supposedly fresh, but as we all know those chemicals generally are not healthy for you,” Gursimran Dhindsa, an SCU student said.
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Many of us know that whole foods are more nutritious than anything that comes out of a box, but one dietitian says it’s not that simple.
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“Sometimes people can’t get access to fresh produce or good quality meats or dairy, so it becomes an access issue,” Stephanie Brooks of Bay Area Nutrition told KTVU.
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Brooks has been working in the health and nutrition space for more than two decades, and she says choosing what we eat can be complicated for many of us, especially due to societal expectations of health.
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The United States is facing an obesity epidemic; the NIH says one in three adults in the U.S. is considered obese. This study says ultra-processed foods play a role in that.
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Not everyone agrees
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The other side:
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The Consumer Brands Association, which represents producers of consumer packaged goods, says the recent study is misleading.
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“Currently, there is no scientific agreement on the definition of ultraprocessed foods. Demonizing convenient, affordable and shelf ready food and beverage products could limit access to and cause avoidance of nutrient dense foods, resulting in decreased diet quality, increased risk of food-borne illness and exacerbated health disparities.” — Sarah Gallo, Senior Vice President of Product Policy, Consumer Brands Association
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“If it’s an issue where I’m pressed for time, and I’m going to either eat or not eat—I’m going to eat this frozen food you pop in the microwave, or not eat, I would rather ya eat,” Brooks told KTVU.
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