We all know ultra-processed foods have a bad rap. But it’s not the processing alone that’s harming your health. A new study has pointed the finger at very specific food additives—those extras that make your crisps zing, your fizzy drinks sweet, and your instant noodles irresistible. And some of them, researchers say, could actually increase your risk of death. Yes, death.Researchers in Germany, publishing their findings in eClinicalMedicine, followed a whopping 186,744 people in the UK for several years. Ages ranged from 40 to 75, so this wasn’t just a “college-student-on-an-instant-ramen-diet” survey. Over the study period, more than 10,000 deaths occurred. And when the scientists dug into what those people were eating, the results were unsettling.Out of 37 different food additives and markers of ultra-processed foods, five groups stood out for their grim connections to all-cause mortality:Flavour additivesFlavour enhancersColouring agentsSweetenersVarieties of sugarSpecific ingredients that stood out in the research:Glutamate and ribonucleotide (flavour enhancers)Acesulfame, saccharin, and sucralose (sweeteners)Fructose, inverted sugar, lactose, and maltodextrin (varieties of sugar)Caking agents, firming agents, thickeners (the texturising gang)These are the invisible additives that make food taste better, look prettier, and last longer, but your body isn’t impressed. The study connected them with weight gain, metabolic disruption, and even mischief in your gut microbiota. Basically, your insides know when they’re being tricked.Not All Additives Are Bad These gooey, jelly-like ingredients, often rich in pectin (a type of soluble fibre found in fruit), were linked to a lower risk of death. Pectin has a reputation for improving blood sugar levels, supporting digestion, and even showing anti-cancer potential. What the Study HighlightsThe study isn’t saying that every crisp or fizzy drink is instantly fatal. What it highlights is that eating more ultra-processed foods overall is linked with higher mortality risk, and within that big basket, certain additives stand out as particularly problematic.Interestingly, not every ultra-processed food marker was linked with harm. Modified oils, processing aids, proteins, and fibre didn’t seem to have the same deadly connections. The findings add nuance to the conversation about food. For years, advice has been a blunt “avoid ultra-processed foods”. But this study suggests the smarter move is to pay attention to which additives are doing the damage. If you spot acesulfame, maltodextrin, or sucralose in your ingredients list, maybe it’s time to put that product back on the shelf.Meanwhile, it’s not all doom and gloom. Gelling agents might just be good for your gut. And who knows? One day, future food companies might lean more heavily on these safer additives to give us “healthier processed foods” that don’t spell trouble in the long run.Ultra-processed foods are everywhere, and pretending we can avoid them completely is unrealistic. The real trick is being aware of what’s in them. Flavour enhancers, sweeteners, colouring agents, and sugars deserve the side-eye, while fibre-rich gelling agents can keep their halo.
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