Hamburgers, Chips, and Chocolate among ‘ultra-processed’ foods linked to early death! 

Two studies released in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, reporting that “eating five or more servings of ultra-processed foods per day increased the risk of mortality by 62% . . . with each additional serving increasing the mortality hazard by 18%. The main cause of death was cancer, with an average age of 58 at death.”

Then the article listed some of the items in the ultra-processed food category. It includes a vast array of foods, such as:

  • Chocolate

  • Cookies

  • Potato chips

  • Pizza

  • Meatballs

  • Doughnuts

  • Mayonnaise

  • Margarine

  • Milkshakes

  • Breakfast cereals

  • Soda and sweetened drinks

  • Chicken nuggets

  • Croissants and pastries

  • Processed meat, like salami and hamburgers

  • Instant soups

  • Ice cream

  • Alcohol produced by distillation, like whiskey and gin

      Two other studies from the  University of Paris and the University of Montpellier concluded that there was a clear link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease which is the main cause of death worldwide.

And here, a personal message from my book publisher.

"But there is also some good news among all this doom and gloom! Here are two books that can help put you on the right dietary path:
You-Turn, by Drs. Hans Diehl and Aileen Ludington, lists 5 steps to help readers move toward the optimal diet: 

  1. Use whole-grain breads and cereals. They have the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that products made with refined flour lack.

  2. Enjoy a variety of fresh fruit each day.

  3. Eat a wide variety of vegetables. Dark-green leafy vegetables are essential for good health. (One cup of greens contains more calcium than milk.) Yellow and orange vegetables are high in vitamin A.

  4. Enjoy nuts. They are high in minerals and vitamins, but use them sparingly, because they are high in fats and calories.

  5. Use a wide variety of beans and peas. They provide protein and fiber and are low in fat.

The Optimal Diet Cookbook, by Drs. Hans Diehl and Darlene Blaney, is the official cookbook of CHIP, the Complete Health Improvement Project. It's packed with recipes and information to begin a diet free of highly processed foods!