The scientific evidence against ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has been building for years, but new research published in 2026 has extended the concern beyond physical health into mental health and cognition.
Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made mostly from substances extracted from foods, with little or no whole food content and typically containing additives to enhance taste, appearance, or shelf life. They include soft drinks, packaged snacks, reconstituted meat products, instant noodles, and most products in supermarket centre aisles.
A meta-analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry, drawing on data from over 1.2 million people across 14 countries, found that higher UPF consumption was associated with a 28% increased risk of depression, a 22% higher risk of anxiety disorders, and measurably lower scores on tests of working memory and executive function in adults over 50.
The gut-brain axis is real and the evidence is now overwhelming. What you eat affects not just your body but your mind, your mood, and your capacity to think clearly.