People who eat minimally processed food lose twice as much weight as those who eat mass-produced “healthy” products. This is according to a new British study published in Nature Medicine.

In a 16-week experiment, 55 participants were given free meals – eight weeks of minimally processed foods (such as oatmeal and homemade pasta), and eight weeks of ultra-processed products (such as bars, ready-made lasagna and drinks). Although both diets met the official UK dietary guidelines, people on the minimally processed diet ate an average of 290 fewer calories per day and lost about 2% of their body weight – without being restricted in the amount of food they ate. Calculated over a year, this would mean a reduction of about 13% in men and 9% in women.

Participants on the “healthy” ultra-processed diet also lost weight, but less – about 120 calories less per day.

The lower calorie intake in the first group was also due to full saturation with natural products.

Interestingly, “bad” cholesterol (LDL) was reduced more on the ultra-processed diet – probably due to the precise selection of foods in the study. However, people on the minimally processed diet showed better results in terms of body fat and triglycerides – factors associated with the risk of heart disease.

The scientists’ conclusion is that even when some ultra-processed foods seem healthy, minimally processed food – with more fruits, vegetables, meat and grains – remains the better choice. | BGNES