Consuming large amounts of ultra-processed food (UPF) increases the risk of an early death, according to a international study that has reignited calls for a crackdown on UPF.

Each 10% extra intake of UPF, such as bread, cakes and ready meals, increases someone’s risk of dying before they reach 75 by 3%, according to research in countries including the US and England.

UPF is so damaging to health that it is implicated in as many as one in seven of all premature deaths that occur in some countries, according to a paper in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

They are associated with 124,107 early deaths in the US a year and 17,781 deaths every year in England, the review of dietary and mortality data from eight countries found.

  • Treetrimmer@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    A processed food would be like roasted nuts, a loaf of real bread, cheese, etc. an ultra processed food is anything that’s been broken down into individual constituents like corn syrup, maltodextrin, sugar, white flour, etc then amalgamated back together again. But I certainly see what you mean.

    • turmacar@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      “Real bread” meets that definition of ultra-processed. It’s a bunch of individual constituents (flour, water, yeast, etc.) that are mixed together.

      • Lit@lemmy.world
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        24 hours ago

        Yes, also the glycemic index and nutrient availability changes, so it is processed from wheat seed.

        When we eat raw wheat seed, we can’t absorb any of the nutrients. Artificial grinding into powder and applying artificial heat and adding water break/weaken the cell walls, making the sugars and nutrients more available, it also raising glycemic index. So there is difference between how much the body can absorb from the unprocessed seed and processed version.

    • altphoto@lemmy.today
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      2 days ago

      The difference between doritos and bread is merely the cooking temperature and the flavoring content… One is supposed to be cheesy and salty the other sweet and greasy/moist.

            • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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              22 hours ago

              Yikes. I was confused about the greasy part as well but I didn’t know I was supposed to break up with my partner for it. What if they bring begals because they thought the bread was for breakfast sandwiches? I am curious just how over tolerant I have been, lol

              • faythofdragons@slrpnk.net
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                21 hours ago

                I mean, I’d be pretty mad if I asked for bread and he brought home a beagle too. I’m not using a dog for sandwiches.

                • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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                  17 hours ago

                  Haha, I’m a doof for not realizing I spelled that wrong, though I must say a dog, or hot dog rather, is a sandwich. Although your original point was for the bread. So yeah I don’t think I’d care for using a sliced hot dog as the outside of a Sandwich. I suppose if cutting bread out of your diet slicing a polish sausage down the middle and putting sourcrout and such might be decent, albeit very messy.

            • altphoto@lemmy.today
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              2 days ago

              Fine. I’ll call the bf department of purchases and let them know this is just a stretched truth and not a true truth.