Researcher explains connection between ultra-processed foods and depression

https://lemmy.world/post/8804875

Researcher explains connection between ultra-processed foods and depression - Lemmy.World

What is an ultra-processed food? There needs to be some definition that is unambiguously applicable, otherwise this kind of study is worthless.

Diet was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) every 4 years. We estimated UPF intake using the NOVA classification, which groups foods according to the degree of their processing. In secondary analyses, we classified UPF into their components, including ultraprocessed grain foods, sweet snacks, ready-to-eat meals, fats and sauces, ultraprocessed dairy products, savory snacks, processed meat, beverages, and artificial sweeteners.

That’s any food that comes in a box or a bag.

So if you can’t afford to shop at the farmers market every other day and buy locally raised and slaughtered meat, you’re more likely to get depressed.

Great use of time and money there. 👍

Are you not able to buy vegetables, fruits, pasta, rice, beans and so on in your local supermarket?
This is a false choice, ultra-processed foods vs farmers’ market produce. Almost any grocery store is going to have produce available for probably cheaper than ultra-processed foods. Bulk carrots, potatoes, onions, celery, zucchini, yellow squash, and more are less expensive per meal than the foods you’re talking about

Buying from the bins (bulk purchasing) is all I ever do or will do, so beans and pasta, even nuts, are redonk cheap in comparison (thank you WinCo), and we’re doubling the size of the vege garden this year. It’ll be another year or two until we can make it pretty, but I’ll take function over from anyday. I want to can an entire pantry by this time next year.

1/3rd of your life is spent on buying food.

I want that to be as close to zero as possible. I want all my costs to be as close to zero as possible. I fucking hate the despair of not having money.

The farmers market quip was hyperbolic to drive a point, but for reals I have some serious issues and concerns over buying produce that’s out of season and not local. Like how apples and oranges are kept in anaerobic environment (prob nitrogen or argon) for 6-12 months before being shipped out, to make sure there’s a year supply

Sure, it might be ‘fine’, but if I have the option to, like right now, buy pomegranates instead of nitrogen-doped pink ladies, I’m going with the seasonal

Only exception to that that I can think of is bananas, cuz Iceland