Ultra-processed foods harm people’s health and have ramifications for the overall health of the planet. While some food processing is necessary for recipes and feeding the globe, the food industry needs to make changes to ensure that processing doesn’t turn foods into harmful substances. Dr. Tim Harlan and Dr. Rob Lustig discuss the harmful ingredients in ultra-processed foods and how they impact metabolic health—as well as why the food industry has a moral obligation to make drastic changes.

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🎙 What Tim Harlan, MD, & Rob Lustig, MD, discuss:

(06:17) — Nutrition science over the last decade has made strides, but the food industry lags behind

(08:57) — Food can be medicine, but it can also be poison

(14:03) — The NOVA system classifies foods by their level of processing

(23:16) — DATEM is an example of processing

(24:03) — Emulsifiers potentially harm the gastrointestinal tract

(28:17) — Sugar harms the liver, which can lead to metabolic disease

(37:01) — In the United States, people tend to consume too much omega-6 fatty acids

(43:48) — The food industry can find ways to make ultra-processed foods safer

(46:26) — Supply-chain changes are another piece of the equation

(47:43) — Multinational companies have a moral obligation

Transcripts & Show notes

👋 WHO WE ARE:

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/I259F6VsHqU

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

📲 Connect:

Connect with Robert Lustig, MD, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertlustigmd/

Connect with Robert Lustig, MD, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertLustigMD