Processed Vs. Natural Foods (Shocking) | Jason Fung

Summary

This video delves into the impact of ultra-processed foods on the rising obesity rates, especially among youth. It explains how these cheap, industrially produced foods with additives can disrupt our body's natural ability to regulate eating habits, leading to overconsumption. Studies show that diets high in ultra-processed foods result in greater calorie intake and weight gain compared to natural diets. The script urges a shift towards whole foods and suggests fasting as a strategy to combat the convenience-driven consumption of unhealthy, processed options.

Takeaways

• 📈 Obesity rates have been rising in America, affecting both adults and youth, with processed foods playing a significant role in this increase.
• 🍔 Processed foods are cheap, industrial sources of dietary energy and nutrients, often with additives, and are different from natural foods that our bodies are adapted to consume.
• 🌾 The processing of natural foods, such as wheat berry into flour, removes fats, fiber, and proteins, leaving behind pure carbohydrates that our bodies may overconsume.
• 🍬 Additives like sugar in processed foods can increase appetite, leading to overeating and weight gain.
• 🥗 Diets that emphasize whole foods, like the paleo or ketogenic diets, are generally healthier and help maintain a natural weight balance.
• ⏳ The rise of the diet industry in the 1970s led to the promotion of low-fat diets, which inadvertently encouraged the consumption of ultra-processed foods.
• 📦 Ultra-processed foods are popular due to their convenience, long shelf life, and profitability, but they can contribute to overeating and obesity.
• 🧪 A study found that participants consuming ultra-processed foods ate an average of 500 more calories per day, leading to weight gain compared to those on a natural diet.
• 📊 The average diet is composed of nearly 58% ultra-processed foods, with youth diets showing an increasing trend in this consumption.
• 🍕 There has been a significant increase in the consumption of ready-to-eat mixed dishes like pizza and sweet snacks, which are often ultra-processed.
• 🍹 Despite a decrease in sugar-sweetened beverages, the overall trend of ultra-processed food consumption is up, suggesting a need to focus on natural foods for better health.

Q & A

What is the critical role of ultra-processed foods discussed in the video?

The video discusses the role of ultra-processed foods in the rise of obesity, particularly among youth, due to their cheap industrial sources, additives, and the series of processes that alter their natural state.

Why are ultra-processed foods considered to be of lower quality than natural foods?

Ultra-processed foods are considered lower quality because they often use the cheapest, most industrial sources of dietary energy and nutrients, which are easier to manufacture at scale, and they are stripped of many natural components like fats and fiber.

How do our bodies react to the consumption of ultra-processed foods compared to natural foods?

Our bodies have evolved to eat natural foods and have adapted to know how much to eat to stay healthy. Ultra-processed foods interfere with this ability, leading to overconsumption and potential weight gain.

What happens when wheat berry is processed into flour in terms of nutritional content?

Processing wheat berry into flour removes the naturally occurring fats, reduces fiber content, and eliminates proteins, leaving behind a pure carbohydrate that our bodies may not recognize, leading to overeating.

Why do additives in ultra-processed foods contribute to overeating?

Additives such as sugar in ultra-processed foods are designed to make them more palatable and can stimulate our appetite, causing us to eat more than we should to maintain a healthy weight.

What is the general recommendation for diets to maintain a healthy weight according to the video?

The video suggests that most diets recommend eating whole foods, which are closer to their natural state, to allow the body to naturally regulate food intake and maintain a healthy weight.

How did the 1977 dietary guidelines of America influence the popularity of ultra-processed foods?

The 1977 guidelines recommended a low-fat diet, which led to the development of processed foods with reduced fat content. These foods were less palatable, so companies added other ingredients to make them taste better, inadvertently promoting overeating.

What are some advantages of ultra-processed foods that contributed to their popularity?

Ultra-processed foods are popular because they can be produced in bulk, transported over long distances, have a long shelf life, are convenient, and are profitable for companies.

What was the finding of the study where 20 adults were given meals of either unprocessed or ultra-processed foods?

The study found that participants consuming ultra-processed foods tended to eat an average of 500 more calories per day, leading to weight gain, compared to those eating unprocessed foods who lost weight.

What percentage of the average diet is composed of ultra-processed foods according to a 2009 study?

The 2009 study showed that the average diet is almost 58 percent composed of ultra-processed foods.

How has the consumption of ultra-processed foods among U.S. youth changed over the last 20 years?

Consumption of ultra-processed foods among U.S. youth has steadily increased over the last 20 years, with a significant rise in ready-to-heat mixed dishes like pizza, sweet snacks, and bakery products.

What dietary trend has seen a decrease among U.S. youth according to the video?

The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has decreased significantly among U.S. youth, although fruit drinks have increased.

What is the current percentage of ultra-processed foods in the average diet according to more recent data?

More recent data indicates that ultra-processed foods now make up approximately 67 percent of the average diet.

What is the video's suggestion for dealing with the prevalence of ultra-processed foods?

The video suggests focusing less on specific dietary restrictions and more on eating natural foods, and considering fasting to reduce the number of meals and ensure that natural foods are consumed when time allows.

Outlines

00:00

🍔 The Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on Obesity

This paragraph discusses the critical role of ultra-processed foods in the rise of obesity, particularly among youth in America. It explains that these foods are made from cheap, industrial sources of dietary energy and nutrients, combined with additives through various processes. The focus is on how the body has evolved to consume natural foods, and the deviation from this norm with processed foods can confuse our natural ability to regulate eating habits. The paragraph also touches on the additives that increase the desire to overeat and the shift in dietary trends towards whole foods for maintaining a healthy weight. It highlights the historical context of dietary guidelines promoting low-fat diets, which inadvertently led to the rise of ultra-processed foods due to their convenience and profitability.

05:00

📈 Study Insights on Ultra-Processed Foods and Weight Gain

This section presents findings from studies that compare the effects of ultra-processed foods versus natural foods on weight. One study monitored 20 adults in a metabolic lab, providing them with meals that were identical in calories, energy density, and macronutrients, but differed in processing levels. The result was that participants consuming ultra-processed foods consumed an average of 500 more calories per day, leading to weight gain, while those on a natural diet lost weight. The paragraph also reveals that the average diet is nearly 58% ultra-processed and that this proportion has been steadily increasing, especially in youth. It points out the significant increase in consumption of ready-to-eat mixed dishes, pizzas, sweet snacks, and bakery products, while sugar-sweetened beverages have decreased. The summary emphasizes the need to focus on natural foods rather than specific dietary ratios to address the obesity epidemic.

10:02

🍽️ Encouraging Natural Food Consumption and Fasting

The final paragraph emphasizes the convenience of ultra-processed foods and how they are often chosen due to busy lifestyles. It suggests that the prevalence of these foods is a significant factor in the obesity crisis and encourages viewers to consider natural food options. The speaker proposes that if time is an issue, perhaps fasting could be a solution to reduce the number of meals needed, thus promoting healthier eating habits. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for viewers to share the information if they found it useful and to engage with the video by liking it to help others discover the content.

Keywords

💡Ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations typically made from cheap sources of dietary energy and nutrients plus additives. They undergo a series of processes that strip away natural components, resulting in products that are not found in nature. These foods are linked to rising obesity rates as they interfere with the body's ability to regulate hunger and fullness, leading to overeating.

💡Obesity

Obesity refers to the condition of being significantly overweight, which poses health risks. The video discusses the increasing rates of obesity, especially among youth in America, and highlights the role of ultra-processed foods in this epidemic by promoting excessive calorie intake and poor nutrition.

💡Additives

Additives are substances added to foods to preserve flavor, enhance taste, or improve appearance. In the context of ultra-processed foods, additives often include sugars, fats, and preservatives, which contribute to their palatability and long shelf life but also lead to overconsumption and health issues.

💡Natural foods

Natural foods are those that are minimally processed and remain close to their original state. The video contrasts these with ultra-processed foods, emphasizing that natural foods better align with our body's evolutionary adaptations and help maintain a healthy weight.

💡Dietary guidelines

Dietary guidelines refer to recommendations made by health authorities to promote healthy eating habits. The video mentions the 1977 U.S. guidelines advocating for a low-fat diet, which inadvertently led to the rise of ultra-processed foods as manufacturers removed fats and added sugars and other additives to maintain taste.

💡Metabolic lab study

The metabolic lab study is a controlled experiment mentioned in the video, where participants were fed either ultra-processed or natural foods with matched calorie content. The study found that those on the ultra-processed diet consumed 500 more calories daily and gained weight, illustrating the detrimental effects of these foods.

💡Convenience

Convenience in the context of food refers to the ease of preparation and consumption. Ultra-processed foods are highlighted for their convenience, as they are easy to store, have long shelf lives, and require minimal preparation, which contributes to their popularity despite their negative health impacts.

💡Shelf life

Shelf life is the length of time a product can be stored without becoming unfit for consumption. Ultra-processed foods have extended shelf lives due to preservatives and lack of natural fats and fibers, making them economically advantageous for manufacturers but nutritionally inferior.

💡Fasting

Fasting is the practice of abstaining from all or some kinds of food or drink for a set period. The video suggests fasting as a strategy to reduce the intake of ultra-processed foods and encourages eating natural foods that require preparation, thereby improving diet quality and health.

💡Processed carbohydrates

Processed carbohydrates are refined carbs that have been stripped of natural nutrients and fiber, such as white flour. The video explains that our bodies do not handle these well, leading to overconsumption and weight gain, unlike whole carbohydrates found in natural foods.

Highlights

Ultra-processed foods have a critical role in the rise of obesity, especially among youth.

Processed foods are made from cheap industrial sources of dietary energy and nutrients, with additives and multiple processing steps.

Our bodies have evolved to eat natural foods, not adapted to processed foods that can lead to overeating.

Processing food, like turning wheat berry into flour, removes natural components like fats and proteins, leaving pure carbohydrates that can be overeaten.

Additives in ultra-processed foods, such as sugar, increase consumption beyond healthy levels.

Diets like Paleo and ketogenic emphasize whole foods close to their natural state for maintaining a healthy weight.

The 1977 American dietary guidelines recommending low-fat diets led to the development of unhealthy processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods became popular for their convenience, long shelf life, and profitability.

Studies show that people on an ultra-processed diet consume 500 more calories per day, leading to weight gain.

The average diet is almost 58% composed of ultra-processed foods, with a steady increase over the last 20 years.

Youth diets have seen a significant increase in ultra-processed food consumption, especially in ready-to-eat meals and sweet snacks.

Despite a decrease in sugar-sweetened beverages, the overall consumption of ultra-processed foods has risen.

The prevalence of ultra-processed foods may be due to their convenience and the busy lifestyles of consumers.

Focusing on natural foods rather than specific diets may be key to addressing the obesity epidemic caused by ultra-processed foods.

Fasting can be a beneficial strategy to reduce meal frequency and encourage the consumption of natural foods.

The video encourages viewers to share the information and like the video to help others learn about the impact of ultra-processed foods.

Transcripts

today we're going to talk about the

critical role of ultra-processed foods

and how they've been impacting obesity

particularly amongst the youth and it's

coming right up

[Music]

obesity has been rising a lot in america

not only in adults but also in youth and

one of the things that has not been

talked about a lot is the role of

processed foods

in its genesis it can be defined as

formulations mostly of cheap industrial

sources of dietary energy and nutrients

plus additives

using a series of processes and there's

a few things to focus on here first is

that these sources are usually cheap and

they're usually industrial so whether

you're looking at carbohydrates fats or

proteins they tend to be the lowest

quality and the easiest to manufacture

at scale that makes them cheap and

therefore profitable

also the thing is to focus on the

additives and the fact that there's a

series of processes so you're moving

away from natural foods the way they

appear in nature

the reason this is important is that our

bodies have evolved to eat natural foods

these are the foods that we've eaten for

thousands of years and therefore we've

adapted to

natural carbohydrates natural fats

proteins like meat and we know how much

we should eat to stay healthy when we

start processing that we interfere with

our body's ability to know

how much to eat and when we should stop

eating

for example

if you use

wheat berry and process it into flour

you remove certain things you remove

the fats that are naturally found in

that and that's because they tend to go

rancid and therefore reduce shelf life

you also reduce a lot of the fiber from

going from whole grains to white bread

and you remove the proteins that are

naturally found there and you're left

with a pure carbohydrate our body

doesn't know what to do with it because

it's not a natural food so therefore we

can very easily overeat that

then you have the additives such as the

sugar which are going to make us want to

eat more and more than we really should

in order to maintain a healthy weight

most diets understand that you really

should eat whole foods the paleo diet

for example was based on eating things

that are as close to

what was found during the caveman days

as possible the ketogenic diet

is a high-fat diet but one of the things

that was very important was that you

should eat whole foods a plant-based

diet is not that healthy if you're just

eating chocolates and pizza but

now people talk about a whole food

plant-based diet because you want to eat

things close to nature

when you do that then your body knows

how much to eat how much to not to eat

and naturally maintains a healthy weight

and that's the secret of how people

really maintain their weight without

really counting calories or even

watching what they were eating up until

the 70s

by the 1970s

the diet industry really got going the

the dietary guidelines of america in

1977 recommended a low-fat diet the

problem with the low-fat diet was that

when you took out all the fat from these

natural foods it didn't taste very good

and people didn't like them so the

government encouraged companies to

develop these processed foods

specifically in order to lower the

amount of fat that's contained in it

thinking that that would be healthy for

us the problem is when you start

interfering with natural foods then you

may overeat them and that may lead to

obesity ultra processed foods soon

became very popular because they had so

many advantages over natural food

they're industrial so they could be

produced in bulk they could be

transported over long distances they

were cheap they had a long shelf life if

they're packaged in a box you can keep

them for years at a time

they're convenient because you could

just take them

right from the package and eat them they

don't spoil and the most important thing

is they were profitable

companies love the profits that came

along with it because you could upsell

somebody on processed foods versus the

natural foods but what effect does

eating all this

unprocessed versus highly processed

foods have on your weight

recently several studies have looked

into this question and the answers are

concerning to say the least

in this study

20 adults were put in a metabolic lab

and they were given meals that were

matched for calories energy density

macronutrients sugar salt and fiber the

only difference was that one group had

unprocessed foods and or natural foods

and one group had ultra processed foods

and they could eat as much or as little

as they want and over a two week course

they would determine which one they ate

more of on average it turns out that the

ultra processed diet

people tended to eat 500 calories per

day more especially the processed

carbohydrates and the fat

and over that two week period you saw

that it was correlated to an increasing

weight you can see the effect of eating

the natural diet as much as they wanted

was that people in two weeks would lose

about one kilogram or almost two pounds

compared to the ultra processed diet

where they would gain

approximately two pounds

this is especially concerning when you

consider the amount of ultra-processed

foods that we're eating

a study from 2009 showed that the

average diet is almost 58 percent

composed of ultra-processed foods and

more recent data looked at the diet of

youths

in this study they looked at how much

ultra-processed foods u.s youth were

eating over the last 20 years and over

that period of time you see that there's

been a very steady increase

even amongst the very young age two to

five

in the older youth by the time you get

to 2017 2017-2018

upwards of 65 to 70 percent of all the

calories that they were eating came from

ultra processed sources

that's a real problem if their bodies

simply don't know how to handle it and

they're eating more than they should

when you break it down into more

foods that they're eating you can see

that certain foods have increased

significantly

over that period of time whereas others

have gone down the industrial grain

foods such as breads and biscuits and

pancakes have remained fairly stable but

the biggest increase you see is in ready

to heat and eat mixed dishes

particularly pizza and other things so

those

easy to heat up microwave dinners and

those

pizzas that you can just pop in the oven

that's what people are eating a lot of

as well as these sweet snacks and bakery

products they show a huge increase

from 1999 to 2017.

on the other side if you look at sugar

sweetened beverage the news is good you

people have been drinking significantly

less sugar sweetened beverages as well

as diet soft drinks although fruit

drinks have gone up

the

problem overall though is that when you

look at the total amount of unprocessed

or minimally processed foods it's gone

from 28.8 percent in 1999 down to 23.5

whereas the ultra process group went up

from 61.4

to 67 percent so when we consider the

effect of these ultra processed foods

and the fact that they're getting more

and more prevalent perhaps what we need

to do is focus a little less on the

specific mix of vegetarian versus meat

or carbs versus proteins versus other

things and focus just on eating natural

foods

the key reason for these ultra processed

foods is that they're so convenient

we're always eating on the run there's

no time to cook nobody has time to go

shopping and so on so we naturally

gravitate to these ultra processed foods

which turn out to be highly processed

and very profitable so they get pushed

onto us when we're busy going out to

do other things such as taking the kids

to their program

or working well

we think well we're going to get

something to eat and maybe it's low fat

or maybe it's low carb but there's a

processed food that's going to fit that

bill don't make that mistake instead

maybe what you should do is say hey if

you don't have time to eat maybe don't

eat and that's where fasting is going to

really help because then you can reduce

the number of meals that you need to eat

if you're following a specific diet and

make sure that you're eating natural

foods that you have time to prepare at

the time you need it

thanks for watching everybody i hope you

learned something this week if you did

maybe share it with a friend they might

learn something too and if you could do

me a favor and hit that like button so

that other people can find this video

i'd really appreciate that thanks so

much