Eat Smarter: The Surprising Truth About Ultra-Processed Foods!

I believe we are in the middle of a hidden epidemic: brain inflammation driven largely by what we eat. Excess body fat, largely produced by diets full of ultra-processed foods, creates inflammation that reaches the brain—especially the hypothalamus—and then feeds back, making metabolism, appetite, and fat storage worse. That vicious cycle helps explain why so many of us struggle to lose weight and maintain health.

What are ultra-processed foods and why do they matter?

Humans have processed food for millennia. Olive oil, cheese, fermented foods—these are simple, familiar processes. Ultra-processed foods are different. These are industrial creations that bear little resemblance to their original ingredients. Think huge batches of corn or soy exposed to high heat, extraction, deodorizing agents, added sugars (dextrose, maltodextrin, cane sugar), artificial flavors and colors. The end product has lost its connection to the original food. Lucky Charms is an easy example.

Today, troubling numbers back up what many of us see in our communities. A BMJ meta-analysis shows that about 60 percent of the average American adult's diet is made of ultra-processed food. For children that number climbs to roughly 67 to 70 percent. That is not just a dietary trend; it is the raw material that builds our bodies and brains.

Fast food economies, subsidies, and food availability

Why are these low-quality, shelf-stable foods so cheap and everywhere? One major driver is government policy. Between 1995 and 2010, the U.S. government put roughly $170 billion into agricultural subsidies for major commodity crops. Those crops—corn, soy, wheat—show up as the foundation of processed foods and fast food supply chains.

When the system rewards mass production of commodity crops, the market gets flooded with inexpensive ingredients for ultra-processed products. The result: cheap, dependable, hyper-palatable food that is easy to buy. I remember living in neighborhoods where within two miles you could hit dozens of fast-food outlets but had no access to organic or higher-quality produce. A two-cheeseburger deal at a drive-through can be cheaper than a single avocado at many grocery stores. That pricing and availability shape diets, tissues, and public health.

Processed food intake and disease risk

There is data connecting government-subsidized-food consumption and disease. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine compiled data across diverse populations and found people with the highest consumption of subsidized foods had nearly 40 percent greater incidence of obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. The same work noted higher markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein, in those groups.

Put bluntly: tax dollars are, in part, subsidizing the cheap calories that are now fueling obesity and inflammation across the population.

The microbiome, the gut-brain axis, and a system-level problem

Ultra-processed foods create chaos in the gut microbiome. This microbiome—trillions of microbes with their own genes, reproduction, and metabolic activity—acts as an outsourced organ that performs jobs we no longer have to do ourselves. It helps produce nutrients, modulate immunity, and feed important signaling pathways. But modern diets and lifestyle changes have dramatically reduced microbiome diversity. Indigenous groups can have up to four times the gut microbial diversity we commonly find today.

When diversity shrinks, pathogenic or opportunistic microbes can overgrow and shift signaling toward inflammation. Much of our immune system lives in the gut, and the immune system and microbiome are tightly connected. That makes the gut a primary gateway for either tolerance or chronic inflammatory responses.

There is a direct line between the gut and the brain through the vagus nerve. Much of the information flows from the gut to the brain, shaping mood, hunger, and metabolism. Research from Albert Einstein College of Medicine has shown that inflammation in the hypothalamus can cause excess body fat and insulin resistance, and those downstream changes in turn produce more brain inflammation. It is a vicious loop that is hard to see because the brain itself does not have pain receptors—so you do not feel brain inflammation the way you feel other inflammation.

A key insight: the brain controls calorie absorption

Researchers have found that the brain, based on its perception of how well-nourished the body is, can tell the gut to increase or decrease calorie and nutrient absorption. In practical terms, if the brain assesses that body stores are low or the environment is threatening, it may tell the gut to extract more calories from food. This is a powerful survival mechanism, but in the environment of constant ultra-processed calorie availability, it can worsen obesity and metabolic dysfunction.

"Your brain is literally made from the food that you're eating."

Every cell, dendrite, axon terminal, and neurotransmitter is synthesized from the nutrients you provide. If those building blocks are low quality, the brain's structure and function suffer.

Seed oils, rancidity, and how dietary fats have changed

Many ultra-processed foods rely on highly refined seed oils—soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil. The industrial process to extract these oils involves high heat, chemical solvents, deodorizing treatments, and results in oils with high levels of oxidation and free radical activity. These oxidized fats are pro-inflammatory.

Dr. Cate Shanahan and other researchers have pointed out a striking change in the composition of human fat tissue over the past century. Early 1900s fat biopsies showed fat cells were roughly 2 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids. Today, average human fat cells often contain 20 to 25 percent polyunsaturated fats. We literally changed what humans are made of. Those polyunsaturated, omega-6–heavy fats are more volatile and more prone to generating reactive oxygen species in the body.

At the same time, extra virgin olive oil—a minimally processed, antioxidant-rich oil—has been shown in animal and some human studies to reduce brain inflammation and help repair the blood-brain barrier. That is consistent with the long history of olive oil in human diets versus the recent industrialization of seed oils.

Hydration, electrolytes, and the simplest brain support

Before you chase fancy nootropics, get water right.

• Water is the single best supplement for the brain. The brain is mostly water and all of its biochemical processes occur in an aqueous medium.

• Mild dehydration impairs mood, increases fatigue, reduces reading speed and mental work capacity. Studies in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health demonstrate these effects and show how rehydration reverses them.

• A simple daily baseline: divide your body weight in pounds by two. The resulting number is a reasonable ounce target for daily water intake. For example, 150 pounds = about 75 ounces daily as a starting point.

• Quality matters. Natural water tends to carry minerals. The brain cannot retain fluid properly without sodium. Sodium is an essential electrolyte and mineral that helps cells communicate. Processed foods supply most of the sodium in the American diet, not high-quality salt or real food electrolytes.

Researchers have shown sodium functions as an on-off switch for neurotransmitters that protect and regenerate the brain. Alongside sodium, potassium and magnesium are also crucial for cognitive function. Real-food sources of electrolytes are always a priority.

Fats that matter: omega-3s and brain volume

The dry weight of the brain is largely fat. Quality fats determine membrane structure, signal transduction, and overall neuronal integrity. One of the clearest nutritional wins for brain health is omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA.

A landmark study in the journal Neurology used MRIs to link omega-3 intake to brain volume. People who consumed the lowest amounts of EPA and DHA had higher rates of brain shrinkage, especially in the hippocampus—the brain's memory center. The researchers calculated that inadequate DHA intake correlated with hippocampal neuronal loss equivalent to about two additional years of aging. Studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have also found that increasing DHA improves memory and reaction time.

Here are practical points about omega-3s:

• Plant-based ALA sources (flax, chia, hemp) are not the same as EPA and DHA. The conversion from ALA to EPA or DHA is highly inefficient; many people convert only a tiny fraction, sometimes losing up to 95 percent in the process.

• The most reliable dietary sources of EPA and DHA are fatty fish and seafood. Eating seafood at least once per week is linked to better cognitive performance; two to three seafood meals per week is even better.

• If you do not eat seafood, algae-based DHA/EPA supplements are the next best option. Krill oil is another option; krill contains astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant that may improve omega-3 assimilation. Choose supplements based on quality and standards of sourcing.

Other fat notes: saturated fat and life stage

Saturated fat and cholesterol have important roles, particularly during early brain development. Mother's milk is rich in saturated fat and cholesterol for a reason: they support rapid brain growth. As adults age, our need to dietarily supply certain fats can change because the brain can synthesize components like cholesterol internally. The takeaway is not fear of natural fats, but focus on balance and quality, avoiding oxidized seed oils and favoring whole-food fats like extra virgin olive oil, avocado, coconut, and fatty fish.

Putting it together: practical steps to protect your brain and metabolism

1. Prioritize whole foods and reduce ultra-processed items. Read labels and ask what oils and ingredients are used in restaurant cooking.

2. Reduce consumption of highly refined seed oils. Replace them with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or other minimally processed fats when appropriate.

3. Build omega-3s into your routine. Aim for regular seafood intake or high-quality algae-derived DHA/EPA if you are vegan or vegetarian. Consider fish oil or krill oil if you eat fish rarely.

4. Hydrate with mineral-rich water and ensure adequate sodium, potassium, and magnesium through real food. Use a baseline target (body weight divided by two in ounces) and adjust for activity and climate.

5. Strengthen gut health. Eat diverse, fiber-rich whole foods to support microbiome diversity and immune balance. Fermented foods and prebiotic-rich vegetables help feed beneficial microbes.

6. Recognize the brain-gut-metabolism connection. Addressing inflammation in the brain, the hypothalamus, and the gut together is far more effective than isolated strategies.

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