increased mortality Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Hypertension, Cancer, & Early Death

The AHA! Team — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 05:16:23 +0000

Lance D Johnson via Natural News – Study Exposes Hidden Dangers of Modern Diet In a world where convenience trumps nutrition, a groundbreaking study exposes the deadly consequences of ultra-processed foods—linking them to skyrocketing rates of hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and premature death. Presented at the ACC Asia 2025 conference in Singapore, the research analyzed data from 8.2 million adults across four continents, revealing a disturbing trend: the more ultra-processed foods people eat, the faster their health deteriorates. Key points: A new study reveals that ultra-processed foods increase the risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death. Every additional 100 grams consumed daily raises the risk of digestive diseases by 19.5% and all-cause mortality by 2.6%. Researchers warn of hidden additives, synthetic ingredients, and nutrient-deficient formulations in mass-produced foods. Governments and health officials urged to enforce stricter labeling and promote whole-food alternatives. The silent killers in your pantry Ultra-processed foods—those factory-made products loaded with synthetic additives, refined sugars, and industrial seed oils—are not just empty calories. They are engineered for addiction while stripping away essential nutrients. According to Dr. Xiao Liu, a cardiologist at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, these foods disrupt metabolism, gut health, and even mental well-being through: Blood lipid imbalances Gut microbiome destruction Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress Insulin resistance and obesity Common offenders include: Sugar-laden cereals (high-fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes) Packaged cookies and candy (hydrogenated oils, emulsifiers) Processed meats (sodium nitrites, MSG) Soda and energy drinks (aspartame, phosphoric acid) A dose-dependent health crisis The study found that for every 100 grams of ultra-processed food consumed daily (roughly a small bag of chips or a sugary drink), the risks climb: 14.5% higher hypertension risk 5.9% increased cardiovascular events 19.5% spike in digestive diseases 2.6% greater chance of early death Even more alarming? The GRADE assessment confirmed high-to-moderate certainty in these findings—meaning the evidence is undeniable. Where did the term “ultra-processed food” come from? The term “ultra-processed food” (UPF) was introduced by Brazilian nutrition researcher Carlos Monteiro and his team in 2009 as part of the NOVA food classification system. This system categorizes foods based on their level of processing rather than just their nutritional content. The NOVA classification divides foods into four groups: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk). Processed culinary ingredients (e.g., sugar, salt, butter, oils). Processed foods (e.g., canned vegetables, cheese, cured meats). Ultra-processed foods (e.g., sodas, chips, fast food, packaged snacks). Monteiro’s research highlighted how UPFs are linked to obesity and chronic diseases, leading to global awareness of their health risks. How do ultra-processed foods differ from processed foods? Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrially manufactured products containing numerous additives, artificial flavors, and minimal whole food content. Unlike processed foods—such as canned beans, cheese, smoked fish, and bread—which are altered mainly for preservation or taste and retain recognizable ingredients, UPFs (like soda, candy, instant noodles, chicken nuggets, and frozen pizza) rely on artificial colors, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and preservatives. While processed foods may still provide some nutrients despite often being high in salt, sugar, or fat, UPFs are typically calorie-dense, loaded with unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt, and lack fiber and essential nutrients. The primary purpose of processed foods is to extend shelf life or enhance flavor, whereas UPFs are engineered for hyper-palatability, convenience, and long shelf life, prioritizing low cost and mass appeal over nutritional value. Why are ultra-processed foods considered addictive? Research suggests UPFs may trigger addictive-like eating behaviors due to: Hyper-palatability – High levels of sugar, fat, and salt stimulate brain reward pathways. Artificial additives – Flavor enhancers (e.g., MSG) and sweeteners (e.g., high-fructose corn syrup) may increase cravings. Rapid digestion & absorption – Refined carbs and fats cause blood sugar spikes, leading to overeating. Marketing & convenience – Easy access and aggressive advertising reinforce habitual consumption. Studies comparing UPFs to addictive substances (like nicotine) suggest they may lead to loss of control over eating, similar to substance dependence. The solution to this is simple; making America healthy again won’t come from the top down. Individuals have to decide that their life is worth living and they have to choose to eat real foods, and maybe grow some of their own! Sources include: ScienceDaily.com ACC.org ACC.org To read the original article, click here

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Adding Salt to Your Food at the Table Is Linked to Higher Risk of Premature Death

AHA Publisher — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 07:00:08 +0000

European Society of Cardiology via Newswise – People who add extra salt to their food at the table are at higher risk of dying prematurely from any cause, according to a study of more than 500,000 people, published in the European Heart Journal today (Monday). Compared to those who never or rarely added salt, those who always added salt to their food had a 28% increased risk of dying prematurely. In the general population about three in every hundred people aged between 40 and 69 die prematurely. The increased risk from always adding salt to food seen in the current study suggests that one more person in every hundred may die prematurely in this age group. In addition, the study found a lower life expectancy among people who always added salt compared to those who never, or rarely added salt. At the age of 50, 1.5 years and 2.28 years were knocked off the life expectancy of women and men, respectively, who always added salt to their food compared to those who never, or rarely, did. The researchers, led by Professor Lu Qi, of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, USA, say their findings have several public health implications. “To my knowledge, our study is the first to assess the relation between adding salt to foods and premature death,” he said. “It provides novel evidence to support recommendations to modify eating behaviours for improving health. Even a modest reduction in sodium intake, by adding less or no salt to food at the table, is likely to result in substantial health benefits, especially when it is achieved in the general population.” Assessing overall sodium intake is notoriously difficult as many foods, particularly pre-prepared and processed foods, have high levels of salt added before they even reach the table. Studies assessing salt intake by means of urine tests often only take one urine test and so do not necessarily reflect usual behaviour. In addition, foods that are high in salt are often accompanied by foods rich in potassium, such as fruit and vegetables, which is good for us [1]. Potassium is known to protect against the risk of heart diseases and metabolic diseases such as diabetes, whereas sodium increases the risk of conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure and stroke. For these reasons, the researchers chose to look at whether or not people added salt to their foods at the table, independent of any salt added during cooking. “Adding salt to foods at the table is a common eating behaviour that is directly related to an individual’s long-term preference for salty-tasting foods and habitual salt intake,” said Prof. Qi. “In the Western diet, adding salt at the table accounts for 6-20% of total salt intake and provides a unique way to evaluate the association between habitual sodium intake and the risk of death.” The researchers analysed data from 501,379 people taking part in the UK Biobank study. When joining the study between 2006 and 2010, the participants were asked, via a touch-screen questionnaire, whether they added salt to their foods (i) never/rarely, (ii) sometimes, (iii) usually, (iv) always, or (v) prefer not to answer. Those who preferred not to answer were not included in the analysis. The researchers adjusted their analyses to take account of factors that could affect outcomes, such as age, sex, race, deprivation, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, diet and medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer and heart and blood vessel diseases. They followed the participants for a median (average) of nine years. Premature death was defined as death before the age of 75 years. As well as finding that always adding salt to foods was linked to a higher risk of premature death from all causes and a reduction in life expectancy, the researchers found that these risks tended to be reduced slightly in people who consumed the highest amounts of fruit and vegetables, although these results were not statistically significant. “We were not surprised by this finding as fruits and vegetables are major sources of potassium, which has protective effects and is associated with a lower risk of premature death,” said Prof. Qi. He added: “Because our study is the first to report a relation between adding salt to foods and mortality, further studies are needed to validate the findings before making recommendations.” In an editorial to accompany the paper, Professor Annika Rosengren, a senior researcher and professor of medicine at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, who was not involved with the research, writes that the net effect of a drastic reduction in salt intake for individuals remains controversial. “Given the various indications that a very low intake of sodium may not be beneficial, or even harmful, it is important to distinguish between recommendations on an individual basis and actions on a population level,” she writes. She concludes: “Classic epidemiology argues that a greater net benefit is achieved by the population-wide approach (achieving a small effect in many people) than from targeting high-risk individuals (a large effect but only achieved in a small number of people). The obvious and evidence-based strategy with respect to preventing cardiovascular disease in individuals is early detection and treatment of hypertension, including lifestyle modifications, while salt-reduction strategies at the societal level will lower population mean blood pressure levels, resulting in fewer people developing hypertension, needing treatment, and becoming sick. Not adding extra salt to food is unlikely to be harmful and could contribute to strategies to lower population blood pressure levels.” A strength of Prof. Qi’s study is the large number of people included. It also has some limitations, which include: the possibility that adding salt to food is an indication of an unhealthy lifestyle and lower socio-economic status, although analyses attempted to adjust for this; there was no information on the quantity of salt added; adding salt may be related to total energy intake and intertwined with intake of other foods; participation in UK Biobank is voluntary and therefore the results are not representative of the general population, so further studies are needed to confirm the findings in other populations. Prof. Qi and his colleagues will be carrying out further studies on the relation between adding salt to foods and various chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. They also expect potential clinical trials to test the effects of a reduction in adding salt on health outcomes. [1]An example of a typically salty food that also contains vegetables are tacos, which are often filled with beans and vegetables. To read the original article click here.

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