A new review links ultra-processed foods and their additives to higher cardiovascular risk, pointing to large human studies and inflammation-related mechanisms that may help explain why heavily processed diets can harm heart health.
Key takeaways
Higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Food additives may also contribute to cardiovascular harm, suggesting the issue is not only the overall nutritional profile of ultra-processed foods.
Inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of the gut microbiome are among the main proposed mechanisms linking ultra-processed foods to cardiovascular risk.
Cutting back on ultra-processed foods may be a useful step toward supporting cardiovascular health.
