Ultra-processed foods are ruining your mood. Here’s why

Nutritionist Ravinder Lilly explains the link between ultra-processed foods and mood and how what you eat could be harming your mental health.

Eating a diet rich in ultra-processed foods may be associated with an increased risk of depression, a recent US study suggests.

Nearly 22,000 middle-aged women were studied as part of the Nurses’ Health Study II and the research found those consuming nine portions or more of ultra-processed foods a day had a 50 per cent higher risk of developing depression compared to those with four portions or fewer daily.

What are ultra-processed foods?

Think pre-packaged soups, frozen pizza, hot dogs, ready-to-eat meals, fizzy drinks and shop-bought puddings, pies and sweets.

What sets these foods apart is the sugar and artificial sweeteners they contain.

Why are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

The study found a strong link between depression and artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened drinks, and follows Australian research in 2010 that found drinking more than half a litre of soft drinks per day was linked to mental health issues, including depression.

But the connection to poor mental health isn’t the only reason to limit your intake of ultra-processed foods.

Research shows consuming these types of foods can affect our physical health, increasing the risk of illnesses including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and irritable bowel syndrome.

What’s more, a 2022 study revealed that if more than 20 per cent of daily calories come from ultra-processed foods, the risk of cognitive decline rises significantly.

The link between ultra-processed foods and mental health

While the nurses’ study controlled for several factors such as age, BMI and lifestyle habits, it can be challenging to isolate the impact of diet on depression risk from other confounding variables such as genetic predisposition, stress levels and social support.

Dr David Katz, a US specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine, has emphasised in the media the possibility of “reverse causality”, where early signs of depression may lead to eating more ultra-processed foods as a form of temporary comfort.

So, depression may influence dietary habits and vice versa.

While the nurses’ study provides valuable insights into the potential relationship between ultra-processed foods, artificial sweeteners and depression, it underscores the complexity of mental health factors.

As researchers delve deeper into understanding these connections, it is wise to adopt a balanced and wholefood-based diet for your overall physical and mental wellbeing.

More on how food can affect mood:

• Body parts diet: How to eat for optimum health
• Can you eat your way to happiness?
• What to eat during every stage of your menstrual cycle
• 4 healthy foods that can help boost your mood

Written by nutritionist Ravinder Lilly.