The Worst Food to Eat if You Want to Live to 100 Years Old, According to Science

This dish is quick and easy to prepare, but it is terrible for your health. 

There are some countries on the planet where living to be 100 years old is very common. However, the average life expectancy in the United States is just 77 years, lower than the global average. While there are some things, we have no control over, such as genetics or age, we do have control over what we eat and drink. And, according to studies, ultra-processed foods are one of the worst foods to eat if you want to live to be 100.

Here are a few reasons why eating ultra-processed foods regularly won't help you live a century old.

1. They are low in nutritional value.

The main distinction between ultra-processed and unprocessed (or minimally processed) foods is that unprocessed foods maintain their nutrients. Added sugars, preservatives, artificial tastes and colours, and other additives are commonly found in ultra-processed foods with minimal nutrients.

Packaged baked products, such as cakes and cookies, frozen dinners, fast food, sodas, and packaged salty snacks, like chips, are examples.

These ultra-processed meals are deprived of nutrients and vitamins, and if consumed regularly, they might cause health problems.

2. They increase your sodium intake.

Many processed meals are high in salt, which is terrible for your health. According to the FDA, diets high in sodium, are linked to high blood pressure, which can increase your risk of heart disease. 

Because high blood pressure is known to increase with age, maintaining your sodium consumption to a minimal level is essential for longer life.

3. They cause weight gain.

Weight gain is another possible adverse effect of eating ultra-processed foods. A diet high in ultra-processed foods was linked to an increase in body weight, according to a study published in Cell Metabolism. 

A little weight gain here and there isn't always a health issue, but if the weight gain becomes excessive or obese, it can increase the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.

4. They raise your risk of death from any cause.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods regularly can shorten your life. Higher daily consumption of ultra-processed foods (more than four servings per day) was linked to a 62% increase in all-cause death among study participants, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. After then, each additional serving increased the risk of death by another 18%.

This study also recommends following a low-processed-food diet, such as the Vegan diet, to live a longer, healthier life.