🧠Ultra-Processed Foods & Brain Health: What Every Australian Needs to Know
Are Convenience Foods Rewiring Your Brain?
I recently attended a seminar on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their impact on brain health — and I’ll be honest, I was a bit surprised by just how deep and far-reaching the effects can be.
As a naturopath, I already have a strong foundation in nutrition. But even so, it was a reminder that in the busyness of everyday life, the cumulative effects of food additives, synthetic ingredients, and processing methods can sometimes be easy to overlook — both for us as practitioners and for the clients we support.
In Australia, a staggering 42% of our daily energy intake comes from UPFs — that’s nearly half of our nutrition sourced from food-like products rather than real food. Foods like energy drinks, chewing gum, jelly beans, white bread, and Pringles may seem harmless in moderation, but when eaten regularly, the effects on memory, mood, and long-term brain resilience can be profound.
What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?
UPFs are industrially manufactured foods that are far removed from their natural state. They’re designed to be hyper-palatable, long-lasting, and convenient — often at the expense of nutrition.
You’ll find them in:
Sugary drinks and flavoured waters
Lollies, gums, and artificial sweeteners
Packaged snacks like crisps and crackers
Supermarket white bread and buns
Frozen meals and fast food items
Fake protein (such as soy protein isolates or pea protein concentrates) found in protein bars or plant-based “meats”
Fake cheese, which is often made from highly processed vegetable oils, starches, and artificial flavourings
These foods are typically high in refined carbohydrates, salt, unhealthy fats, and chemical additives — and low in fibre, protein, antioxidants, and essential nutrients.
🧠How Do UPFs Impact the Brain?
1. Memory Loss & Cognitive Decline
Recent studies, including a 2022 paper in JAMA Neurology, found that individuals consuming more than 20% of their calories from UPFs had a 28% faster rate of global cognitive decline. This includes memory, problem-solving, and processing speed.
2. Brain Inflammation
Ultra-processed diets have been shown to inflame the hippocampus — the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory. This inflammation can reduce neuroplasticity, making it harder to learn new things or adapt to change.
3. Anxiety, Depression & Brain Fog
UPFs may impact the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. This can lead to low mood, anxiety, irritability, and that all-too-common "foggy brain" feeling.
4. Gut-Brain Axis Disruption
Artificial additives, emulsifiers, and preservatives found in UPFs disrupt the gut microbiome, which plays a vital role in producing brain-supportive compounds. A disrupted microbiome is linked with low mood, fatigue, poor concentration, and chronic inflammation.
🧠The Link Between Alzheimer’s, Type 3 Diabetes & Brain Health
Interestingly, there is growing evidence that links Alzheimer’s disease to insulin resistance, often referred to as Type 3 diabetes. In essence, when our metabolism isn’t functioning properly (such as with high blood sugar and insulin resistance), the brain becomes less able to use glucose efficiently for energy.
This connection explains why metabolic health — including healthy blood sugar levels, balanced insulin, and good fat metabolism — is so closely tied to brain function and cognitive resilience.
Research has shown that diets high in refined sugars (which are abundant in UPFs) and low in healthy fats can worsen this insulin resistance, increasing the risk for Alzheimer’s, memory loss, and even early-onset dementia.
🛑 The Most Problematic UPFs for Brain Health
Some of the most brain-disruptive UPFs commonly consumed in Australia include:
Energy drinks — ultra-processed beverages high in caffeine, synthetic vitamins, and sugar
Jelly beans and lollies — made by heating a mixture of sugar, glucose syrup, and gelatine at high temperatures, then adding artificial colours and flavours. The result: a chewy, highly concentrated source of sugar with zero nutritional value and potential neuroinflammatory effects
White bread — a refined carbohydrate with minimal fibre and nutrients
Chewing gum — technically a non-nutritive edible product, often made from synthetic rubber (polyvinyl acetate) and plasticisers, along with artificial sweeteners, colours, emulsifiers, and preservatives. While not swallowed, its chemical residues are absorbed through the mouth and may impact the gut microbiome and detox pathways
Pringles and similar chips — classed as “reconstituted snack products”, made from a paste of dehydrated potato flakes, oils, and additives that are moulded, fried, and flavoured. These contain high levels of sodium, unhealthy fats, acrylamides, and flavour enhancers like monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Fake protein — many plant-based "meats" or protein shakes contain isolated proteins (such as pea or soy protein) that are highly processed and often lack the complete array of amino acids found in whole foods. These products often have artificial flavours, additives, and fillers that may disrupt gut health and brain function
Fake cheese — commonly found in processed cheese slices and vegan cheese alternatives, fake cheese is often made from hydrogenated oils, starches, and emulsifiers, which are not only nutritionally inferior to dairy-based cheeses but may also impact brain health when consumed frequently
Supermarket frozen meals — while convenient, many of these meals are packed with preservatives, unhealthy oils, and hidden sugars. They often lack adequate fibre, protein, and antioxidants that are essential for brain and body health
While they may not seem harmful in isolation, frequent and cumulative exposure can shift your brain’s chemistry over time.
🥗 Eating Food as Close to Its Original Form
One of the simplest ways to support your brain health is by eating food as close to its original, whole form as possible. This means prioritising minimally processed foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and high-quality protein sources.
Whole foods are naturally rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals that protect and nourish the brain. For example, fresh fruit and vegetables contain vital antioxidants that help combat oxidative stress, while whole grains provide sustained energy and support mental clarity.
By choosing foods in their closest-to-natural state, you can avoid the added preservatives, artificial colours, flavours, and excessive sugars found in UPFs, allowing your body and brain to function at their best.
Protect Your Brain with Real Food
The good news? It's never too late to nourish your brain with the right foods. A brain-healthy plate is:
🥦 Rich in colour — eat the rainbow with vegetables and fruits
🧠Nutrient-dense — include omega-3s, magnesium, B vitamins, and choline
🛡️ Anti-inflammatory — reduce sugar and seed oils; add olive oil, flaxseed, and turmeric
🍎 Gut-friendly — fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi support mood and cognition
Swap white bread for wholegrain sourdough, ditch sugary drinks for herbal tea, and snack on nuts or boiled eggs instead of reconstituted snack products.
đź’ˇ Final Thoughts
Attending the seminar reinforced for me how important it is to bring awareness to this issue. Our brains need real food to thrive — and it’s time we start treating food as one of our most powerful tools for lifelong mental clarity. Our modern diet is heavily influenced by marketing, availability, and habit — but your brain depends on real food to thrive.
If you’re struggling with brain fog, low mood, poor memory, or mental fatigue, looking at your food choices is a great place to start. At Magnolia Apothecary, we support clients through personalised, evidence-based plans that improve gut health, reduce inflammation, and enhance long-term cognitive wellbeing.
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Book a consultation to get a tailored food and lifestyle plan to nourish your brain and body — for today, and for the future.