Are Processed Foods Stealing Years from Your Life?
Even with the fields of biohacking and longevity medicine fueling the level of conferences, podcasts, and supplement expenditures it does, the average American should start with the simple longevities therapies available in their grocery stores. So many will go to expensive ends to live a little longer and a little healthier, but this study points out the simple practices which can likely add years to your lifespan without draining your bank account. By decreasing the amount of ultra processed food in your daily diet, you can lower your chance of dying early by at least 3%.
These ultra processed foods line the shelves in the middle of our grocery stores and promise quick meals that taste good for a cheap price. To keep this promise they add some things and take away others.
First, they add a lot of sodium for taste, as well as trans fats and sugars. These boost the flavor but heighten inflammation in our bodies. Second, they add artificial ingredients: colors, flavors, emulsifiers, and preservatives. These unnatural chemicals add different qualities to the food and keep it fresh, but they come with dark sides as well.
Then the process removes nutrients, both vitamins and minerals. They also process out many natural chemicals that, although not essential vitamins, still contribute to our health. These phytonutrients and antioxidants are found in higher amounts in whole foods rather than these processed foods for a reason.
With all these additions and subtractions, apparently, they ultimately take away life. We know their inflammatory nature contributes to conditions like asthma, autoimmunity, and cardiovascular disease. This study in focus just puts some nice bold print headlines before our eyes, saying “These foods can kill you.” They estimate that in 1 year, 124,000 extra deaths occurred in the US due to these food’s high rate of consumption.
Helping others restore and maintain healthier more abundant lives requires telling everyone both what they want to hear and what they don’t want to hear. If you are in the habit of consuming lots of these processed foods, you may not want this information but ignoring it won’t change the fact that it might be killing you slowly.
Even small swaps to whole foods can make a big difference.
Want help cleaning up your diet and boosting your long-term health? Our team is here for you. Schedule a consult today!
Disclaimer: This content is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your healthcare provider or schedule a visit with us to determine what is appropriate for your individual health needs.
Thanks to Science Daily:
Elsevier. “Global study links consumption of ultraprocessed foods to preventable premature deaths.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 April 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250428222323.htm>.
Original Article:
Eduardo A.F. Nilson, Felipe Mendes Delpino, Carolina Batis, Priscila Pereira Machado, Jean-Claude Moubarac, Gustavo Cediel, Camila Corvalan, Gerson Ferrari, Fernanda Rauber, Euridice Martinez-Steele, Maria Laura da Costa Louzada, Renata Bertazzi Levy, Carlos A. Monteiro, Leandro F.M. Rezende. Premature Mortality Attributable to Ultraprocessed Food Consumption in 8 Countries. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2025; DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2025.02.018
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
