Dr Mahesh Jadhav, consultant neurologist at Manipal Hospital, Kharadi, Pune, confirmed that regularly consuming packaged foods may affect brain health, mental performance, and emotional well-being.
First, what is the connection between what we eat and how well the brain performs? The neurologist stressed that the brain requires proper nourishment to function effectively. So, what constitutes nutritious food, and why does it matter? “The brain is a part of our body that needs a lot of energy to work properly. It needs food like fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals to function well. These foods help us remember things, focus, and feel good. They also help our brain work,” Dr Jadhav said.
The reason why packaged food may not provide the same nutritional value is that many are high in calories but low in essential nutrients. Dr Jadhav identified unhealthy fats, sugar, sodium, and additives as common components of highly processed foods. Regularly eating such foods means your brain does not get any nutrition that it needs to function.
The effects of eating highly processed foods will shape your ability to think, focus, and regulate your mood. Dr Jadhav said, “Foods that are heavily processed may cause problems in the body and brain. When we eat these foods, it can also affect our brain cells, how they talk to each other.”
Major cognitive functions, including concentration, memory, and clear thinking, may be affected, alongside changes in emotional well-being. According to Dr Jadhav, blood sugar spikes after eating processed food may be the reason. He said, “Eating highly processed foods can make it harder for us to focus, remember information, and think clearly. It can also make us feel anxious or depressed. These foods may cause our blood sugar levels to rise and fall, leaving us feeling tired, irritable, and confused.”
Slowly processed food changes your brain performance, energy levels, mood, and productivity. Dr Jadhav listed the following signs that tell your diet requires closer attention:
If you continue to ignore these warning signs and frequently binge on highly processed foods, could there be long-term consequences? Dr Jadhav cautioned that this eating pattern may gradually affect metabolic and cardiovascular health, which can also have implications for the brain.
“If we keep eating foods that are highly processed, we can get sick. We can get fat, have high blood pressure, and have high cholesterol. These things can hurt our blood vessels, including the ones that go to our brain,” he said. “If our blood vessels are not healthy, we can have a stroke. Also, eating processed foods for a long time can increase our chance of getting diseases like dementia.”
The expert's parting advice was to improve your diet by eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, and fish, while drinking plenty of water. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and stress management are equally important.
How severe can the consequences become? Dr Jadhav gave a reality check, "In some cases, we may need surgery to fix problems caused by food.” This means diet should be taken seriously, as it has extensive consequences.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
