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Melted, pounded, extruded: Why many ultra-processed foods are unhealthy

By Anahad O'Connor and Aaron Steckelberg

27 Jun 2023 · 10 min read

informed Summary

  1. Ultra-processed foods, which are heavily manipulated by food manufacturers, are essentially pre-digested due to the extreme processing they undergo. This makes them easily absorbed by the body and can alter their effects on appetite, hormones, weight gain, and the likelihood of developing obesity and chronic diseases.

Would you eat food that's been predigested?

Experts say that's what we're doing when we consume many popular packaged foods - those breads, cereals, snack chips and frozen meals that have been refined, pounded, heated, melted, shaped, extruded and packed with additives.

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