We are bombarded with food and health messaging constantly in our lives and sometimes the jargon is confusing. This episode covers some basics and defines whole foods, processed foods and ultra processed foods and differentiates between healthy and unhealthy foods. This episode also highlights how food can be addictive and cause disease providing some basic knowledge to help you make better choices!

FOODWELL CHALLENGE: Reduce consumption of ultra-processed food by 1 meal/day for 1 week!

References

1.The NOVA Food Classification System. ecuphysicians.ecu.edu. Published 2018. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://ecuphysicians.ecu.edu/wp-content/pv-uploads/sites/78/2021/07/NOVA-Classification-Reference-Sheet.pdf

2.Nobakht, MD N, Kamgar, MD M, Jahanshahi N. When it comes to nutrition and chronic disease, focus on the basics. www.uclahealth.org. Published January 5, 2022. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/when-it-comes-to-nutrition-and-chronic-disease-focus-on-the-basics#:~:text=High%20sugar%20and%20refined%20carbohydrate

3.Crimarco A, Landry MJ, Gardner CD. Ultra-processed Foods, Weight Gain, and Co-morbidity Risk. Current Obesity Reports. 2021;11(3). doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-021-00460-y

4.Cordova R, Viallon V, Fontvieille E, et al. Consumption of ultra-processed foods and risk of multimorbidity of cancer and cardiometabolic diseases: a multinational cohort study. The Lancet Regional Health - Europe. 2023;35:100771. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100771

5.Sally Robinson, MD. Processed Food Addiction. UTMB Department of Pediatrics. Published October 2023. https://www.utmb.edu/pedi/news/news-article-page/2023/11/13/toxic-stress-and-the-long-term-effects#:~:text=It%20has%20been%20found%20that