‘Risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer’: The foods researchers say to avoid

BOSTON — Sometimes simpler is better.

That’s certainly what nutritionists say about the food we eat.

But that isn’t what we tend to find in the grocery store these days.

About 70% of the items on the shelves are now considered ultra-processed foods.

Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that when it comes to these products, some are worse than others.

“If you find some substances or compounds or names of ingredients that you wouldn’t find in your kitchen, that’s probably a UPF,” explained Kenny Mendoza, a postdoctoral fellow who worked on the study.

“Those tend to be flavorings and colorings to enhance sensory characteristics,” added Josiemer Mattei, Ph.D., who is the senior author of the report.

People outside a donut shop in Brookline told Boston 25 News these products can be addictive.

A woman said she is concerned about the number of chemicals listed on ingredient panels.

A man said he was trying to avoid these types of foods but that it’s hard to do.

The consequences of eating these highly refined foods are serious.

“All these studies show that, for example, the risk of diabetes, the risk of cardiovascular disease, even the risk of cancer increases as people consume more of these products,” said Mendoza.

The researchers wanted to take it a step further to see if it matters which ultra-processed foods a person consumes.

They reviewed data on the eating habits of 200,000 people over a 30-year period.

“The two most concerning groups are those sugary beverages and the processed meats,” Mattei said. “On the other hand, we saw some lower risk of cardiovascular disease with cereals, with dairy, and with some snacks. . . to give you an example, for dairy like yogurt and ice cream, they usually have calcium. They are usually fortified with vitamin D. Those are ingredients that are heart healthy.”

Finding fresh food, and then paying for it and preparing it, can be a big challenge for some people.

“Supermarkets in low-income communities, racially and ethnically diverse communities have been more impacted by this. So, access to supermarkets with fresh food or whole food tends to be less in these communities,” Mattei said.

One woman told us, “It’s easier to grab something on the fly than it is to prepare and bring it to work.”

Still, these researchers say changing diets to more natural products should be the rule, although an occasional exception is allowed.

“If you want to eat cookies sometimes, or any other ultra-processed foods with moderation, it’s OK as long as you follow a healthy, freshly prepared diet as a priority,” Mendoza said.

These researchers say moderation doesn’t work in some instances. They recommend eliminating all sugary drinks and processed meats.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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