What if ultra-processed foods are the new tobacco?

This week on Nourished with Nora, I sit down with Dr. Ashley Gearhardt—one of the top 2% of scientists in the world and the creator of the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Her research reveals something alarming: ultra-processed foods don’t just resemble addictive substances—they are addictive, especially for kids.

In this episode, Dr. Gearhardt breaks down:

• Why ultra-processed foods hijack our brains like cigarettes

• How food giants used tobacco industry playbooks to target children

• The surprising truth about how quickly real food can improve mental health

• What parents and policymakers can do now to protect the next generation

You’ll walk away with a new lens on what’s in your grocery cart—and what we can all do to shift the system.

Please make time to hear what she has to say—and share this episode with one friend.

Listen now and subscribe for more conversations about real food, real change, and a healthier future.