Dr. Ann outlines the perils of processed foods
Processed foods and ultra-processed foods are way too common in the U.S. diet. (contributed)
Today my passionate plea to you is to “get real,” meaning stop eating processed foods and start eating real foods instead.
After all, the first directive of our mantra “ENJOY” is to Eat real food.
Why the sense of urgency here? Because recent reports are telling us that a whopping 61% of the calories consumed in the U.S. are not just processed, but ultra-processed.
Ultra-processed foods in no way resemble real food; they are nothing more than various chemicals combined with things chemically extracted from real food. Ultra-processed foods are notoriously high in salt, sugar, unhealthy fats, refined carbohydrates and chemical additives – the very things that make us sick and kill us before our time, and are notoriously low in nutrients, fiber and phytochemicals, the compounds that allow us to thrive and heal.
What’s more (and not surprising), the list of modern-day maladies now tied to consuming processed foods includes: food addiction, weight gain (especially in the belly), heart disease, obesity, dysbiosis (disruption in healthy gut bacteria), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancers, mental illness, brain inflammation and death from all causes.
I cannot stress enough how vital it is to focus on whole, real foods as the pillar of your family’s diet. Based on thousands of published studies, we can say with certainty that the two essential features in the healthiest diets are:
- They are comprised of mostly whole foods, which means minimally processed foods.
- They include an abundance of plant foods: fruits, veggies, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
I’m so passionate about getting the word out on the perils of processed foods that I have prepared a free e-course on the topic. Click here to join! You can view it in 15 minutes.
And, of course, pass this message and this e-course on to your friends and loved ones, because one of the greatest gifts we can give is the gift of better health.
Dr. Ann Kulze is founder and CEO of Just Wellness and has a knack for breaking down the science of healthy eating and living into simple and easily digestible messages. She has been featured on “Dr. Oz,” “Oprah and Friends,” WebMD and U.S. News & World Report. Alabama NewsCenter is publishing advice from Dr. Ann.
