| Every day, 7 percent of the U.S. | | | | Further, most processed foods are |
| population visits a McDonald's, and | | | | extremely high in salt, another blow to |
| 20-25 percent eat fast food of some | | | | the heart. One-half cup of Campbell's |
| kind, says Steven Gortmaker, professor | | | | Chicken Noodle Soup, for instance, has |
| of society, human development, and | | | | 37 percent of the daily-recommended |
| health at the Harvard School of Public | | | | amount of sodium. |
| Health. As for children, 30 percent | | | | "Probably the single fastest way to |
| between the ages of 4 and 19 eat fast | | | | reduce strokes in this country is to |
| food on any given day. | | | | halve the amount of salt that's added to |
| But that's just the tip of the iceberg. | | | | processed food," says Tim Lang, |
| Americans get processed food not only | | | | professor of food policy at the City |
| from fast-food restaurants but also from | | | | University, London. |
| their neighborhood grocery stores. As | | | | Cancer |
| it stands, about 90 percent of the | | | | A seven-year study of close to 200,000 |
| money that Americans spend on food is | | | | people by the University of Hawaii |
| used to buy--that's right--processed | | | | found that people who ate the most |
| foods. | | | | processed meats (hot dogs, sausage) had |
| Think about it ... if it comes in a box, | | | | a 67 percent higher risk of pancreatic |
| can, bag or carton, it's processed. The | | | | cancer than those who ate little or no |
| fact that these foods are so readily | | | | meat products. |
| available, and, often, of such poor | | | | A Canadian study of over 400 men aged 50 |
| quality, has led some, like associate | | | | to 80 found similar results. Men whose |
| professor of pediatrics at Harvard David | | | | eating habits fell into the "processed" |
| Ludwig, to say that they're actually | | | | pattern (processed meats, red meat, |
| discouraging healthy eating and leading | | | | organ meats, refined grains, vegetable |
| to a "toxic environment." | | | | oils and soft drinks) had a |
| "There's the incessant advertising and | | | | significantly higher risk of prostate |
| marketing of the poorest quality foods | | | | cancer than men in the other groups. Men |
| imaginable. To address this epidemic, | | | | who ate the most processed foods had a |
| you'd want to make healthful foods | | | | 2.5-fold increased prostate cancer |
| widely available, inexpensive, and | | | | risk. |
| convenient, and unhealthful foods | | | | Yet another study published in the |
| relatively less so. Instead, we've done | | | | journal Cancer Epidemiology, Mile |
| the opposite," says Ludwig. | | | | Markers, and Prevention found that |
| Processed foods have, indeed, been | | | | refined carbohydrates like white flour, |
| implicated in a host of chronic | | | | sugar and high fructose corn syrup is |
| diseases and health conditions that are | | | | also linked to cancer. The study of |
| currently plaguing the nation. What | | | | more than 1,800 women in Mexico found |
| follows is just a taste of the risks | | | | that those who got 57 percent or more of |
| processed foods may present to your | | | | their total energy intake from refined |
| health. | | | | carbohydrates had a 220 percent higher |
| Obesity | | | | risk of breast cancer than women who ate |
| The World Health Organization (WHO) says | | | | more balanced diets. |
| processed foods are to blame for the | | | | Acrylamide, a carcinogenic substance |
| sharp rise in obesity (and chronic | | | | that forms when foods are heated at |
| disease) seen around the world. | | | | high temperatures, such as during baking |
| In one study by Ludwig and colleagues, | | | | or frying, is also a concern. Processed |
| children who ate processed fast foods | | | | foods like French fries and potato |
| in a restaurant ate 126 more calories | | | | chips have shown elevated levels of the |
| than on days they did not. Over the | | | | substance, according to the Center for |
| course of a year, this could translate | | | | Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). |
| into 13 pounds of weight gain just from | | | | "I estimate that acrylamide causes |
| fast food. | | | | several thousand cancers per year in |
| "The food industry would love to explain | | | | Americans," said Clark University |
| obesity as a problem of personal | | | | research professor Dale Hattis. |
| responsibility, since it takes the onus | | | | Food Additives: Unknown Effects |
| off them for marketing fast food, soft | | | | The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) |
| drinks, and other high-calorie, | | | | maintains a list of over 3,000 |
| low-quality products," Ludwig says. | | | | chemicals that are added to the |
| However, "When you have calories that | | | | processed food supply. These compounds |
| are incredibly cheap, in a culture | | | | do various things to food: add color, |
| where 'bigger is better,' that's a | | | | stabilize, texturize, preserve, sweeten, |
| dangerous combination," says Walter | | | | thicken, add flavor, soften, emulsify |
| Willett, M.D., D.P.H., professor of | | | | and more. |
| epidemiology and nutrition at the | | | | Some of these additives have never been |
| Harvard School of Public Health. | | | | tested for safety--and require no |
| Diabetes | | | | government approval--but instead belong |
| "In the last 50 years, the extent of | | | | to the FDA's "Generally Recognized as |
| processing has increased so much that | | | | Safe" (GRAS) list. An item is "safe," |
| prepared breakfast cereals--even without | | | | as defined by Congress, if there is |
| added sugar--act exactly like sugar | | | | "reasonable certainty that no harm will |
| itself ... | | | | result from use of an additive." |
| As far as our hormones and metabolism | | | | Some compounds that are known to be |
| are concerned, there's no difference | | | | toxic to humans or animals are also |
| between a bowl of unsweetened corn | | | | allowed, though at the level of 1/100th |
| flakes and a bowl of table sugar. | | | | of the amount that is considered |
| Starch is 100-percent glucose [table | | | | harmful. |
| sugar is half glucose, half fructose] | | | | Potential side effects from the |
| and our bodies can digest it into sugar | | | | additives vary, and are controversial. |
| instantly," says Ludwig. | | | | For just one common food additive, |
| "We are not adapted to handle | | | | monosodium glutamate (MSG), for |
| fast-acting carbohydrates. Glucose is | | | | example, the following symptoms have |
| the gold standard of energy metabolism. | | | | been reported: |
| The brain is exquisitely dependent on | | | | Numbness |
| having a continuous supply of glucose: | | | | Burning sensation |
| too low a glucose level poses an | | | | Tingling |
| immediate threat to survival. [But] too | | | | Facial pressure or tightness |
| high a level causes damage to tissues, | | | | Chest pain |
| as with diabetes," he continued. | | | | Headache |
| Heart Disease | | | | Nausea |
| Many processed foods contain trans fatty | | | | Rapid heartbeat |
| acids (TFA), a dangerous type of fat. | | | | Drowsiness |
| According to the American Heart | | | | Weakness |
| Association, "TFAs tend to raise LDL | | | | Difficulty breathing for asthmatics |
| ("bad") cholesterol and lower HDL | | | | As is the case with most food additives, |
| ("good") cholesterol ... These changes | | | | some people have no side effects, but |
| may increase the risk of heart | | | | others may become ill. |
| disease." | | | | |