NEW DELHI: Regularly consuming ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which are already linked to poor health outcomes, can negatively impact sperm quality and overall metabolic health, according to a new study.
Published in the journal Cell Metabolism, the study provides strong evidence that it is not just the calorie content but the highly processed nature of these foods, such as processed meats, biscuits, fizzy drinks, ice cream, and some breakfast cereals that makes them particularly harmful to human health.
While previous research has linked UPF consumption to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and mental health issues, this study specifically examined its impact on male reproductive and metabolic health.
According to Dr. Arun Gupta, a paediatrician, nutrition advocate, and Convenor of Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi), a national think tank on nutrition, this is one of the strongest pieces of evidence showing that UPFs are harmful in ways that go beyond calories.
“The randomised trial shows that even when participants consumed the same number of calories, those on UPF-rich diets gained more weight and fat, experienced hormonal disruptions, and had higher levels of industrial chemicals like phthalates in their blood,” he said.
In other words, it’s not just the sugar, fat, and salt, it’s the very nature of these foods that is damaging to human metabolism, fertility, and long-term health.
“UPFs will not only expand our waistlines but also threaten reproductive health and increase the risk of chronic diseases,” Dr. Gupta warned.
