A new study has revealed a link between eating ultraprocessed foods and cognitive decline. The study defined ultraprocessed foods as "industrial formulations of food substances (oils, fats, sugars, starch, and protein isolates) that contain little or no whole foods and typically include flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, and other cosmetic additives."
According to the study, consuming more that 20% of your daily caloric intake from ultraprocessed foods can impact areas of the brain involved with executive function.
Executive function includes the ability to process information and make decisions. People with the highest intake of ultraprocessed foods experienced a 28% faster rate of overall cognitive decline and a 25% faster rate of executive function decline.