Is Processed Food Causing Depression
Processed food is very popular in modern society because of very pacey lifestyles but a recent study adds to growing evidence that these foods may be adding or causing depression in some people.
The popularity of processed food has grown tremendously but while these foods may seem to be convenient they are often devoid of actual nutrition. This then defeats the purpose of eating food in the first place. Alongside the rise in processed foods there has been a rise in the prevalence of depression. This is also projected to grow in the coming years.
Depression does not affect everyone and influences suffers in different ways too. An enhanced understanding of how depression could be influenced may really be of benefit to people you may know. Depression can be very debilitating. This disease can reduce the quality of life or wellbeing of suffers.
Many studies across the globe have linked an increased processed food intake with mental and metabolic disorders. This includes depression where links are higher between the consumption of processed food by younger people and the disease.
The links between a diet high in processed food and depression will be considered here to show why you may wish to consider a diet rich in natural or organic foods to positively influence your brain or overall state of wellbeing.
Processed Foods
Processed and ultra processed foods are industrially produced foods containing colorants and other additives not usually found in more organic or natural cooking which people are used to. A diet rich in processed foods is widely considered to be unhealthy.
This is because of links between processed foods and poor dietary or nutritional quality as well as health outcomes such as obesity. Diets rich in processed foods are also linked with increased risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These links are now all well known to food researchers and nutritionists.
Processed foods tend to just be nutrient dense in highly refined carbohydrates rather than addressing the full spectrum of nutritional needs. This is a massive contributing factor to linked diseases such as obesity and diabetes alike. Some of the main underlying causes of these links are thought to be increased risks of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance which occur from diets high in ultra processed foods.
How Processed Food Could Influence Depression
One relationship which has become more evident recently is the link between depression and diets rich in processed foods. Various studies have started to link the two together.
A large scale analysis of processed food consumption has linked ultra processed foods with a 12 to 30% increased risk of developing depressed and metabolic diseases. This risk is especially more prevalent in younger adults.
A very recent study adds to this evidence. The study confirmed that diets high in processed foods could significantly increase the risks of developing depression. People consuming diets rich in ultra processed foods were significantly more likely to develop depression than those with a much lower intake.
Systemic Inflammation
Understanding why the two are linked is not something that is clearly established yet to researchers. One of the main links between the two may be an increase in systemic inflammation which occurs through eating diets rich in processed food. Oxidative stress and diets lacking in antioxidants contribute to systemic inflammation.
Sustained inflammation is known to directly impact the risks of developing depression. Essentially systemic inflammation could affect the stress response. Prolonged activation of the stress response and heightened inflammation within the region of the brain could cause important brain areas or pathways to become damaged. Neurodegeneration or signalling dysfunctions and build ups in oxidative stress which contribute to these effects are characteristics of major depression. Studies suggest that clinical evidence supports notions that chronic inflammation directly affects the brain functionally and structurally.
Consuming a diet richer in more natural foods such as peanuts instead of highly processed foods could support depression. Research shows that regular nut or peanut consumption may reduce the risks of depression. This could be because of natural antioxidants such as polyphenols present in peanuts. Nut polyphenols may reduce levels of systemic inflammation in the body and influence depressive outcomes.
More organic or naturally cooked and produced foods may also contain more antioxidant nutrients than highly processed foods. This could have positive influences on the risks of developing depression and may present a healthier alternative to processed foods in terms of supporting our overall wellness.
Sweeteners And Brain Signalling
Our brains naturally tell us when we are full. The brain also tells us when we are eating food that may be very sensible to eat. Our brains do this through a series of hormones and nerve signalling pathways.
Not only are sweeteners which may be added to some processed foods such as sucralose inflammatory which could further influence depression but they may influence our brain food reward signalling. Aspartame is an example of an excitotoxic food sweetener often used in processed foods. This means that aspartame stimulates nerve cells in a way which is toxic.
Processed foods may alter our natural food reward system by artificially inflating reward signals through an ultra sweet taste. When this does not translate into actual nutrients and we begin to feel the effects the body may sense a mismatch. This could result in feelings of depression.
Some studies suggest that caloric sweeteners may actually increase feeding behaviours. Sweeteners could do this through influencing brain food reward signalling. That could activate a vicious cycle where cravings of sweet rewards are enhanced and this is very characteristic of an increased depressive mood in some individuals.
Body Image And Diabetes
Some other consequential influences of eating diets rich in processed foods are things like a worsened perception of body image and added risk of developing diabetes.
People who eat diets rich in processed foods are highly susceptible to developing obesity. This could influence how someone perceives their body image and could also increase the risks that the person develops depression. People who do not feel happy in their body image are more likely to develop depressive symptoms than those who are very happy in their body image.
Diabetes could also influence risks of developing depression. There is a significant correlation between insulin resistance and diets rich in highly processed foods. Insulin resistance is a cause of diabetes. Studies show that developing diabetes adds to risks of depression. This is then another means as to how processed foods could increase the risks of developing depressive symptoms.
Overall there is an increasing amount of research which indicates that depression could be worsened by diets rich in processed foods. This is most likely due to increases in systemic inflammation and adverse changes to our brain signalling.
Summary
Processed foods are increasingly popular in modern society due to fast lifestyles. However the consequences of their consumption have only really been understood in their entirety in recent years.
One issue with processed foods is that they contain large numbers of artificial sweeteners or colourings. They are also largely devoid of actual nutrients. Research linking depression with a higher consumption of processed foods is growing. Depression is very different in various sufferers and is very debilitating.
Research shows that ultra processed food consumption is linked to a 12 to 30% increased risk of developing depression and metabolic diseases. This is more prevalent in young people. Lower intakes of highly processed food seem to reduce risks of developing depression in comparison to high intakes.
Oxidative stress and systemic inflammation could be a driver of this increase in risk of depression. Inflammation is known to directly influence risks of depression. Prolonged activation of the stress response is linked to neurodegeneration. This results from excess nerve cell damage in important areas of the brain. Chronic systemic inflammation directly affects the brain functionally and structurally.
Other influences on depression risk from diets high in processed foods may include effects to the brain food reward system and also obesity. Obesity could lead to people being unhappy in their body image. Research also suggests that people who develop diseases such as diabetes are also at a higher risk of developing depression too.
The research so far indicates that diets rich in processed foods may worsen depression and that lessening these in our diet could support the health of our brain or overall wellness.
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