Limiting the presence of ultra-processed foods in our daily diet is not only beneficial for our health, but can also have positive effects on the environment, according to the results of a study carried out by various groups at the Red Biomedical Research Center (CIBER). which show that the more the consumption of ultra-processed foods is reduced, the more the environmental footprint related to food will also decrease.
Ultra-processed foods – which include packaged products, sugary drinks, snacks and fast foods – are highly processed, contain additives and preservatives, and are generally low in nutrients and high in fat, sugar and sodium. “Ultra-processed foods affect or increase the consumption of various resources, such as the use of land, water and energy, as well as increase greenhouse gas emissions,” said Cristina Bouzas, a researcher at the Islas Health Research Institute Foundation. Baleares (IdISBa) and the CIBEROBN area, which has led the investigation.
For this reason, both the production of ultra-processed foods and their transportation from their place of origin to the factories where they are processed and, subsequently, to the final consumer, have a significant impact on the environment. In the study, data from 5,879 people with metabolic syndrome and residents in southern Europe, aged between 55 and 75 years, have been analyzed for two years.
“The Mediterranean diet is made up of unprocessed foods and minimally processed foods. Therefore, if a Mediterranean diet is followed, the environmental impact will decrease”
To categorize foods based on their degree of processing, the NOVA classification system was used, which structures foods into four categories: unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods.
A healthier and more ecological diet
The first thing the researchers observed was that people who significantly decreased their intake of ultra-processed foods also reduced their consumption of red and processed meat and, to a lesser extent, white meat or fish. Furthermore, they found that the consumption of ultra-processed foods is also associated with a higher environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water use and energy use, which means that minimizing the presence of these foods in the diet not only not beneficial to health, but can also contribute to environmental protection.
The researchers not only analyzed factors such as food intake, adherence to the Mediterranean diet or physical activity, but also collected the sociodemographic data of the participants to better understand the characteristics of the study population and evaluated different indicators of environmental impact to calculate greenhouse gas emissions, water use, energy and land use associated with the food consumed by the participants.
The results of the work have been published in the journal Science of The Total Environment and indicate that adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower greenhouse gas emissions and a more sustainable use of natural resources, thus revealing the importance of following a Mediterranean diet as a strategy to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods.
In this sense, Dr. Bouzas explains that “the Mediterranean diet is made up of unprocessed foods (fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, etc.) and minimally processed foods (bread, pasta, rice, oil, etc.). Therefore, if a Mediterranean diet is followed, ultra-processed foods will hardly be consumed, which will reduce the environmental impact”.
Source: Network Biomedical Research Center (CIBER)
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