Cutting back on consumption of ultra-processed food could have a notable impact on your mental health, a new study has found. Researchers at the University of California San Francisco found that reducing intake of ultra-processed food could significantly improve depression and even modestly improve anxiety. The study was published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry on September 23.
Ultra processed foods are products that have one or more ingredients that aren't typically found in a kitchen, like chemical-based preservatives, emulsifiers like hydrogenated oils, sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup, and artificial colors and flavors. They include things like sodas, prepackaged snacks such as chips, cookies, crackers, candy, boxed macaroni and cheese, frozen and ready-to-eat meals, lunch meats, jerky, and hot dogs. The study—which involved 20 participants—is thought to be the first to compare symptoms in people with depression before and after they switched from their regular ultra-processed diet to healthier food.
Andrew Krystal, senior author of the study and professor of psychiatry and neurology at University of California San Francisco, told Newsweek previous studies revealed increased consumption of ultra-processed food is correlated with an increased risk of developing depression, but none had deciphered the effects of lowering intake on depression. He said the study was "intended to establish the feasibility and acceptability of a set of methods for measuring and lowering ultra-processed food as a basis for future studies," which meant it was done in a "preliminary way" with a small sample size, but he added that the team is "super interested" in seeing if they can now find the same results in a larger cohort. Uma Naidoo, director of nutritional and metabolic psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, told Newsweek: "This early study suggests that cutting back on ultra-processed foods is safe, doable, and may be linked to better mood—but it is a first step and it is encouraging in that more studies may follow." The study found that participants who reduced their ultra-processed food consumption by 85 percent saw significant improvements to their mental health across three different depression measures.
For the first measure, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), lowering ultra-processed food intake reduced depression scores by 63 percent. For the other two measures—the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS)—the reduction in depression scores were both around 60 percent. Nicole Avena, a professor of neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Newsweek that the findings add to "a growing body of research linking ultra-processed food intake to poorer mental health, including depression and anxiety." She added that, as it's only an association, "it can't tell us that ultra-processed foods cause depression on their own—people who are struggling with their mood may also reach for these foods more—but the pattern keeps showing up across different populations and study designs, and at this point it's hard to dismiss." Krystal said that it is not yet clear why ultra-processed food intake might affect mental health, but possibilities could include "the high macronutrient content (high sugar, high fat); the impact of high calorie intake; and the intake of contaminants from processing or additives (preservatives, artificial colors, artificial flavorings, texturants, emulsifiers, acidulants, stabilizers, or humectants)." Avena said that one possible factor is that ultra-processed foods are "engineered to be highly palatable," and that her lab's research at Princeton showed that "intermittent access to sugar can change the brain's reward system, including dopamine, in ways that resemble what we see with addictive drugs (bingeing, craving, signs of withdrawal)." "Over time, that can lead to cycles of overeating, cravings, and low mood when the food isn't available," she said.
The blood sugar swings caused by these foods can also lead to "rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar can affect energy, irritability, and mood," she added. Avena also pointed to how diets high in ultra-processed foods are "associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, which has been linked to depression," and that these foods are "low in fiber and often contain additives (emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners) that can disrupt the gut microbiome and the gut lining"—the gut communicates directly with the brain, and changes there can affect mood. Another factor could be nutrient displacement, she said.
"When ultra-processed foods make up a large share of the diet, they crowd out foods that support brain health (like omega-3s, B vitamins, fiber, polyphenols)." Naidoo said that, while these are possible pathways, they are "largely derived from observational, preclinical, and mechanistic studies," and that "no direct causal mechanistic link in humans has been established." Avena said that "people don't need to be perfect" when it comes to reducing their ultra-processed food intake. "Small, consistent swaps (like cooking more at home, choosing whole or minimally processed options, cutting back on sugary drinks) can make a meaningful difference," she said. Alyssa Moran, deputy director for the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, told Newsweek that finding the time and energy to prepare food at home can be "really difficult, especially for people with depression," so "cooking wholesome meals is something you can do to support loved ones experiencing depression." Moran said that because ultra-processed foods are so "appealing," it can also make it difficult for people to change their diets, which is part of the reason "why simply making healthy foods like fresh produce more available or less expensive does little to change dietary patterns." She said that limiting the prod
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