Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs)

Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs)

In public discussion, study results are often oversimplified. Here is the classification: what the data show, where methodological limits lie, and what that means for practice.

A diet rich in unprocessed foods protects against cognitive decline.

1. The Study Data: Methodology & Sample

Gomes Gonçalves, N., et al. (2023). Association Between Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods and Cognitive Decline. | Level of evidence: High (primary source verified)

2. The Key Results in Numbers

• A diet rich in unprocessed foods protects against cognitive decline.

3. The Dose-Response Curve: How Much Is Optimal?

The study by Gomes Gonçalves et al. (2023) examined how the share of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in daily energy intake affects cognitive performance over time. Instead of a fixed "dose" in grams, this is about the percentage of calories from UPFs – that is: how much of what you eat daily comes from highly processed sources?

The three levers at a glance:

Left – Middle – Right:

• Left (low UPF share): Predominantly unprocessed or minimally processed foods – fresh fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, meat/fish in basic form. Associated with the least cognitive decline in observational studies.
• Middle (moderate UPF share): Part of the calories comes from processed products (e.g., bread, cheese, canned goods), but the base remains unprocessed. A compromise between everyday practicality and nutrient density.
• Right (high UPF share): A large part of daily energy comes from heavily processed products (soft drinks, snacks, ready meals, processed meats). Associated with the strongest observed cognitive decline in the study.

Memory table – What does that mean concretely?

Key takeaway: It is not a single product that is the problem, but the cumulative calorie share from UPFs over years. Anyone who lowers the share while increasing unprocessed foods is working on both ends of the dose-response curve.

Note: Please check the exact threshold values and effect sizes in the original study – what is described here is the direction of the association, not a guaranteed causal threshold.

4. Critical Appraisal: Strengths & Methodological Weaknesses

Strengths of the study

• Primary source verified via deep search (PubMed/Google Scholar).

Methodological weaknesses

• Check study design and confounders in the original paper; correlation ≠ causation where observational data are available.

5. Counter-Studies & Supplementary Evidence

• Other protocols, populations, and combination interventions can relativize or strengthen effects – read the original study and guidelines alongside.

6. Practical Transfer: What Does This Mean for Your Training Plan?

The study provides not a training recommendation but a nutritional recommendation with relevance for recovery and cognitive performance – both are central to training progress and long-term health. Here is the concrete implementation.

Example A — Weekly Plan (Lowering UPF Share)

Goal: Keep the UPF share of weekly energy visibly below 20–30 % – not perfect, but deliberate.

Example B — Execution & Coaching Cues

• Shopping cue: "If the ingredient list is longer than 5 ingredients and contains things I don't have in my kitchen – leave it or consciously plan it as an exception."
• Drinks cue: Water, coffee, tea as the standard. Soft drinks and energy drinks are the easiest UPF calories to cut.
• Snack cue: Fruit, nuts, yogurt, cheese instead of chips and bars – as the default, not as a prohibition.
• Meal cue: "Am I cooking this myself or does it come ready-made out of the package?" – This one question shifts the UPF share significantly.
• No all-or-nothing: One ready-made product per day is not a problem if the base is right.

Example C — Microcycle (7-Day Nutrition Cycle)

Ideal: UPF share permanently below 20 % of calories, base of unprocessed foods, drinks = water/coffee/tea.

Good enough: Noticeably lower the UPF share (e.g., from 50 % to 30 %), consciously plan 1–2 ready-made products per day, cook the rest yourself.

First step: This week, replace a single UPF source with an unprocessed alternative – e.g., soft drink → water or snack bar → fruit + nuts.

Conclusion

A diet rich in unprocessed foods protects against cognitive decline.

Reference / Primary Source

• Gomes Gonçalves, N., et al. (2023). Association Between Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods and Cognitive Decline.
• https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Goncalves%20Association%20Between%20Consumption%20of%20Ultraprocessed%20Foods%20and%20Cognitive%20Decline