In the journal of eClinicalMedicine, German researchers revealed the specific ingredients and additives that make ultra-processed foods so bad for our health. Revealing that not all additives are equal in the impact they have on our bodies.
It specifically highlighted certain types of sugar, sweetener, coloring agents, flavor enhancers, and flavors were associated with a higher risk of mortality. However, some ingredients were found to have the opposite effect. Eating more ultra-processed foods overall was also significantly linked to increased risk of death.
The results were in line with previous findings that these additives contributed to weight gain, metabolic disruption and changes in your gut microbiota. In total, the scientists investigated 37 items, or markers of ultra-processed foods (MUPs).
They followed 186,744 UK Biobank participants aged 40 to 75 for years, during which time 10,203 deaths occured.
Five groups of MUPs were found to be significantly related to all-cause mortality:
- Flavour additives
- Flavour enhancers
- Colouring agents
- Sweeteners
- Varieties of sugar
Flavour additives appear in 13.6% of total food intake on average in the UK according to News Medical. This is a higher percentage than any other MUP category.
More specifically, the ingredients with significant links to all-cause mortality were:
- Glutamate
- Ribonucleotide
- Acesulfame
- Saccharin
- Sucralose
- Caking agent
- Firming agent
- Thickener
- Fructose
- Inverted sugar
- Lactose
- Maltodextrin
Interestingly, gelling agents were found to have the opposite effect on a person’s risk of mortality. This is believed to be because of its high pectin content, a soluble fibre that can reportedly improve blood sugar, kill cancer cells and improve digestion according to Healthline.
The inverse association for gelling agents (possibly due to pectin content) highlights significant variation in health effects across additives.
There was a silver lining in the study. It found that other aspects of ultra-processed foods didn’t hold a significant association with mortality risk.
These included:
- Processing aids
- Modified oils
- Protein sources
- Fibre
The researchers hope their findings will provide a framework for future studies and preventative measures to target this mortality-linked ingredients. As well as urging for future studies to explore other links and figure out the reason for this connection.