Scientists Gave People 2 Nearly Identical Meals. One Triggered Much More Insulin. - ScienceAlert

You've probably heard a bit about ultra-processed foods by now, and if so, you likely know they're not the healthiest things you can eat. These industrially manufactured foods are increasingly being linked to heightened risk of disease, and research suggests they may affect how we think and harm our mental health. In light of all the concerning associations scientists are finding, it's easy to assume that ultra-processed foods are unhealthy because they're packed full of nutritionally poor ingredients – but what if there's more to it than that? "We know that the majority of ultra-processed foods are high in fat, they're high in sugar, they're low in fiber, and they're low in protein," says neuroscientist Alex DiFeliceantonio from Virginia Tech. "But if we artificially hold all of those things constant, is there something about the processing that leads to a different outcome? "The answer, it seems, is yes, according to a surprising finding reported in Nature Metabolism. Ultra-processed foods seem to produce a different metabolic response, even when nutrients and calories are matched.