According to a new study, eating large amounts of ultra-processed foods can reduce life expectancy by 15% in men and 14% in women.
Researcher and lead author Erica Loftfield said diet soft drinks played a key role in ultra-processed food consumption, followed by sugar-sweetened soft drinks.
Ultra-processed pastries and baked goods available in supermarkets are next on the list because they contain a lot of ingredients that are harmful.
The ingredient list includes chemicals that resist mold and bacteria, emulsifiers to prevent ingredient separation, artificial colors, anti-foaming agents, fillers, bleaches, gelling agents, polishing agents, modified sugars, salts and fats.
Researchers linked diet to death rates over the next 20 to 30 years and found that those who consumed excessive amounts of ultra-processed foods were more likely to die from heart disease or diabetes.
