421: Can processed food affect your mental health?

<div>In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we investigate the potential link between mental health and ultra-processed foods.<br> <br> The term ‘processed food’ encompasses more than you might think. From grinding wheat to cooking an egg, processed just means altering a food in some way during preparation.<br> <br> Ultra-processed foods are a bit different, usually altered beyond recognition and with plenty of additives thrown into the mix – there is not a part of a chicken called a nugget, for example.<br> <br> Around the world, processed foods account for a large portion of what we eat.<br> <br> According to one study, they now make up for roughly 55% of total food intake in the UK.<br> <br> We have spoken on the podcast before about <a href="https://foodmatterslive.com/podcast/processed-food-and-obesity-food-podcasts/">physical health and ultra-processed foods</a>, but what about mental health?<br> <br> Is there a link? What does the science say? And if there is a problem, how do we go about fixing it?<br> <br> <strong>Guest:</strong><br> <strong>Kimberley Wilson, Chartered Psychologist and Author</strong> </div>