Ultra-processed foods could damage your brain: study

New Canadian research suggests ultra-processed foods don't just impact your weight and heart health. They could also damage your brain. There were changes in the brain similar to what we call silent strokes that were not apparent to the individuals, but we could see them on MRI scanning. On average, nearly half of the calories Canadians consume come from ultra-processed foods. Everything from soft drinks and packaged baked goods to processed meats. The study looked at nearly 9,000 adults aged 35 to 69. It found higher ultra-processed food intake was linked to higher odds of vascular brain injury, but not cognitive performance. While longer-term studies are needed to see how brain injuries could lead to dementia or future stroke, researchers believe the connection comes down to inflammation. Fat tissue in the wrong places can be almost like a furnace spewing out a whole bunch of inflammatory proteins that then affect our brains. The study is observational and doesn't prove cause and effect. Here's how a stroke specialist sees it. It doesn't mean if you go and have a Snickers bar today or have a slice of chocolate cake, you're all of a sudden going to have a stroke. No, it doesn't mean that at all. He says food studies shouldn't alarm us, but they can help us eat smarter. If you have a diet which is rich in these processed foods, you have a greater probability of having something happen to you in the future. To lower that risk, you don't need a total diet overhaul. For those who can afford it, studies suggest swapping out just 10% of processed meat with veggies, nuts and beans helps. So don't always pick pepperoni. But if you are picking pepperoni today because you are busy or whatever, then don't sweat about it. As we learn more about how food affects our brain doctors say it's clear that small but consistent food choices can make a big difference. Christine Birak, CBC News, Toronto.