Editor’s Note: The podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta delves into the medical science behind life’s mysteries, both big and small. Access episodes here. (CNN) — It is common knowledge that consuming a diet rich in ultraprocessed foods is detrimental to our health. These foods have been linked to a myriad of health issues, ranging from obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease to cancer, depression, cognitive decline, and stroke. Furthermore, they seem to elevate the risk of premature death. Ultraprocessed foods, as classified by the NOVA Food Classification system, are food items containing ingredients not typically found in a supermarket or household kitchen. These ingredients include various nutrients, flavor enhancers, colors, additives, and stabilizers, often combined through industrial manufacturing processes such as extrusion and preprocessing, which are not commonly utilized by home cooks. Despite the negative health implications, ultraprocessed foods are popular due to their appealing taste, convenience, and affordability compared to preparing meals from scratch. They are challenging to resist, thanks to their hyper-palatable formulations, and are prevalent in the US food supply, constituting up to 70% of the available food options. However, several questions persist: Are all ultraprocessed foods equally harmful? What specific factors contribute to their adverse effects on health? Scientists are investigating whether certain chemicals, additives, or flavorings in these foods are potentially harmful, or if they interact with our bodies through the microbiome or immune system, triggering unknown health consequences. Another hypothesis under examination is whether consuming ultraprocessed foods leads to weight gain, subsequently predisposing individuals to obesity-related conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Kevin Hall, a leading researcher at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, conducted a groundbreaking study in 2019 that revealed individuals on an ultraprocessed diet consumed approximately 500 more calories per day than those on a minimally processed diet with similar nutritional content. Following this study, Hall and his team initiated a new trial to investigate the underlying mechanisms driving this calorie overconsumption. He presents two primary theories to explain this phenomenon. “One theory is related to the energy density of these foods—how many calories are packed into each gram of food consumed,” CNN Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell explained to Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the Chasing Life podcast. Tirrell visited Hall’s research facility to meet a participant in the new trial, where participants stay at the NIH for around four weeks and consume diets comprising varying levels of food processing. “Ultraprocessed foods are significantly denser in calories compared to minimally processed foods,” Tirrell noted, “due to the removal of water content to enhance shelf stability.” “The other theory that (Hall) is exploring is the hyper-palatability of these foods, often referred to as the ‘bliss
Over the course of four diets, participants will spend one month on each, with a rotation that includes a minimally processed diet and an ultraprocessed diet. The ultraprocessed diets are designed to have high hyper-palatability and high energy density, with variations in palatability and energy density among the different ultraprocessed options. The goal is to investigate whether a diet primarily composed of ultraprocessed foods can be consumed without leading to overeating or negative health effects if it is less energy-dense or less hyper-palatable.
Not everyone considers ultraprocessed foods to be inherently unhealthy. Sarah Gallo, from the Consumer Brands Association, argues against labeling foods as unhealthy solely based on their processing level. She emphasizes that focusing on the complete nutrient profile of food is crucial and warns against creating misconceptions that may worsen health disparities. Gallo points out that food companies adhere to strict safety standards set by the FDA to provide consumers with safe, affordable, and convenient products.
Dr. Tera Fazzino, an expert in psychology from the University of Kansas, has studied the impact of hyper-palatable foods on consumption patterns. She developed a system to assess the palatability of different foods and collaborated on a study linking hyper-palatable foods, energy density, and eating rate to increased calorie intake across four diets. According to Fazzino, hyper-palatable foods contain specific combinations of palatable nutrients like fat, sugar, sodium, and starchy carbohydrates that can activate brain receptors and reward pathways, driving continued consumption.
Fazzino’s research categorizes hyper-palatable foods into groups based on their nutrient profiles, such as fat and sodium, fat and sugar, and starchy carbohydrates and sodium. These foods are described as strong reinforcers due to their unique nutrient combinations, leading to heightened reward responses and a desire to consume more. Fazzino highlights that our bodies are not naturally adapted to process these foods, as whole foods found in nature typically activate our brain’s reward circuitry in a healthier manner.
“It’s a matter of survival,” she explained. “Eating is essentially a reinforcement-based process that must be enjoyable to ensure our survival.” Hyper-palatable foods disrupt this process by being engineered to hit the perfect combination of fat, sugar, sodium, and starchy carbohydrates, creating a euphoric experience that is not commonly found in whole foods. This manipulation excessively activates our brain’s reward neural circuitry, leading to overindulgence and potentially harmful neurobiological impacts. These foods dominate the US food supply, with studies showing a significant increase in their prevalence over the years.
To manage consumption of hyper-palatable foods, Fazzino offers these five tips:
1. Raise awareness: Pay attention to how the food you eat affects you. Notice if you feel the urge to keep eating even when full, especially with hyper-palatable foods like potato chips.
2. Choose whole foods: Incorporate more natural, unprocessed foods into your diet. These foods contain satiety-promoting nutrients that can help control your appetite.
3. Watch your sodium intake: Be mindful of salt content in foods, as sodium combined with fat or starchy carbohydrates can enhance hyper-palatability by activating the brain’s opioid system.
4. Opt for low-sodium options: Look for foods with lower sodium content to reduce the risk of overeating due to hyper-palatability.
5. Be cautious with processed foods: Limit consumption of ultraprocessed and hyper-palatable foods, as they can trigger strong cravings and behaviors that whole foods do not.
In this segment, Fazzino advised home cooks to be mindful of sodium content, as many ingredients contain added salt. She also recommended watching the amount of butter, cheese, and sausage added to dishes like omelets. “Be cautious with your additions,” she advised. “This can help in avoiding the trap of hyper-palatability.”
Furthermore, Fazzino suggested avoiding foods labeled with terms like “diet,” “reduced fat,” or “lean.” She pointed out that many of these so-called diet foods are actually hyper-palatable. She explained how, without engineered bliss points, these products would not be as appealing. Additionally, she highlighted that when one key ingredient is reduced, often another, like added sugar, is increased in these products.
Fazzino emphasized that hyper-palatable foods are purposely designed to be irresistible. “They are created to make you struggle to resist and stop eating,” she noted. “And the fault does not lie with the individual.”
Looking ahead, Fazzino suggested that systemic changes may be necessary to effectively combat the prevalence of hyper-palatable foods in the market. These insights offer valuable knowledge into navigating the realm of hyper-palatable foods.
For more in-depth discussion, you can listen to the full episode on this topic. Next week on the Chasing Life podcast, a doctor shares his experience being on the receiving end of medical care after being diagnosed with brain cancer. Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviews him both before and after his surgery.
Jesse Remedios from CNN Audio contributed to this report. For additional news and newsletters from CNN, you can create an account at CNN.com.
