In the wake of new research confirming the link between ultra-processed foods and the development of Type 2 diabetes, a dietitian is sharing how to safely incorporate guilty pleasures into a balanced diet. The latest study , published this week in the Lancet Regional Health —Europe, analyzed the UPF consumption of nearly 312,000 people from eight European countries. Participants were tracked for an average of 11 years, dur ing which time almost 15,000 developed Type 2 diabetes.
The study authors linked every 10% increase in UPFs to a 17% rise in diabetes risk. Researchers noted that participants could lower this risk by substituting unprocessed or minimally processed foods (MPFs) — such as eggs, milk and fruit — or processed foods (PFs) — such as tinned fish, cheese, salted nuts, artisanal bread and preserved fruits and vegetables. The study builds on previous research establishing that diets with high levels of ultra-processed foods are associated with obesity , diabetes , cancer and cardiovascular disease .
So, can UPFs be safely enjoyed in moderation? Alexis Law, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Top Nutrition Coaching, certainly thinks so . Law told Well + Good this week that understanding our mental and physical relationship to UPFs is key. In addition to being accessible and affordable, these items are heavily laden with the unholy trinity of sugar, salt and fat .
“This can cause people to easily go overboard on them,” Law said. And in overdoing it on.