Ultra Processed Kids

Our kids are inundated with ultra-processed foods. These foods are often referred to as "Franken-foods"; Changed by science until they are unrecognizable from their original form. Ultra-processed foods are foods that have been altered to include fats, starches, sugars, salts, and hydrogenated oils. They’re a mish-mash of ingredients, mainly additives and preservatives. All of these additions add flavor that actually is addictive. Companies spend billions of dollars on finding ways to make you want more of their products. Remember the "You can't eat just one" slogan. Yes, that is on purpose. They also make ultra-processed foods more shelf-stable, which means they last longer in your pantry before expiring or going bad, thus making people feel that they are saving money by purchasing them. Most importantly, these foods have negative health implications including poor brain health, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more.

Big food companies know this but their bottom line is what matters most to them. These companies will argue that it is up to the consumer to decide what to feed their children (and themselves), which is absolutely true. However, if Cheetos stated on the package that eating them my cause cancer, DNA damage in white blood cells, attention problems and hyperactivity, consumers (parents) would be far less likely to purchase and send them to school in their kids' lunches.

Our kids are saturated with marketing luring them into the world of ultra processed food. Heck, I grew up on lots of it! (Little Debbie snacks, Oreos, ice cream, Entenmann's pastries, Frosted Flakes, Cheetos, soda... you name it!) The ingredients in many of the candies, pastries, breads, sodas, etc. have evolved since I was a kid and companies now pay billions of dollars to have their foods re-engineered to be more palatable, "low-fat", "low-calorie", and addictive.

Our country is starting to open it's eyes to the harmful chemicals in processed foods but other countries, for years now, have banned ingredients that we freely allow. It's simply all about money. Not only money for the big food companies, but agriculture, pharmaceutical companies, and government officials as well.

The growing body of evidence underscores the increasing risks of UPF consumption on children's brain health, including cognitive deficits, behavioral issues, and mental health concerns. These findings highlight the importance of promoting healthier dietary patterns and reducing UPF intake to support optimal brain development and overall health in children.

The growing body of evidence underscores the increasing risks of UPF consumption on children's brain health, including cognitive deficits, behavioral issues, and mental health concerns. These findings highlight the importance of promoting healthier dietary patterns and reducing UPF intake to support optimal brain development and overall health in children.

It is time, as consumers and parents, to prioritize our health and the health of our children. Will your kids be upset if you stop buying soda and fruit roll ups? Sure! But we need to educate of kids on what these foods do to their brain, gut, skin, hair, etc. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook where I will share healthy snacks, meals, and hacks for families as well as how certain foods affect our health. Kids are smart and they deserve to be presented with accurate information.

Nourishing Nugget: Look in your pantry and count the number of ultra processed foods in there. Now, count the number of minimally processed foods in your pantry. (ie. peanut butter with salt and peanuts only, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, grass fed beef sticks, popcorn kernels, etc.) Being aware and mindful is a wonderful step in the right direction.