Unsurprisingly, ultra-processed foods like cakes, pastries, chips, and fast food cause poor mental health. These foods have little to no nutritional value and cater to people who don’t have time to cook healthy meals.
However, they’re a poor substitute for a home-cooked meal since they contribute to various diseases. Processed foods increase inflammation, which leads to cognitive decline, anxiety, depression, and even neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s.One study confirmed this by feeding rats a highly refined diet that mimicked “Western” prepackaged foods for four weeks.
Researchers found the rats had elevated inflammatory markers in the hippocampus and amygdala, which led to memory loss and cognitive dysfunction.
Read more on powerofpositivity.com