Stop ultra-processed foods! LET'S EAT REAL

"Neglected for a long time by nutritionists, the processing of food by the agri-food industry plays a certain role in the epidemic of chronic diseases", warns Dr. Anthony Fardet, author of "Mangeons Vrai". In this book, he denounces the growing place of fake, ultra-processed, reconstituted foods and their dramatic impact on health. What is a "fake food"? Modern food technology makes it possible to break down foods and isolate their components. These components serve as ingredients for manufacturers who recombine them by adding salt, fats, simple sugars and many additives. The role of additives is to artificially restore the taste, color and texture lost during fractionation. That's why we talk about "fake foods". This book helps you identify them using concrete examples and criteria. Are you concerned More than 80% of food sold in the supermarket is "fake food". In some departments, it is even 100%, as revealed by a survey by LaNutrition.fr. So when you put manufactured goods (including organic) in your shopping cart, there's a good chance you'll bring home unwanted food. Fake foods and real foods: not the same effect on health Anthony Fardet shows the difference between fake food and real food. For example, bread made with white flour to which bran is added (false food) raises blood sugar more than bread made with whole wheat flour (real food). It is less satiating and raises blood sugar more. Yet the constituents, taken in isolation, are the same! “A food is not just a collection of nutrients, it is a whole. And the whole is better than the parts. » International studies point to the overwhelming responsibility of fake foods in the chronic disease epidemic. An overlooked problem Anthony Fardet shows in his book that nutrition research, focusing on the role of fats, carbohydrates or vitamins on health has so far underestimated, even neglected, the impact of food processing. Which can be summarized as follows: the more a food is transformed (fractionated-recombined), the more it is likely to have an adverse effect on health. Nutritional recommendations need to be reviewed The recommendations of the public authorities are based on a reductionist approach to food. Anthony Fardet shows that by focusing on fats or sugar or on food groups, they actually play the game of "false foods" and are powerless to stop chronic diseases: obesity, diabetes continue to progress. To be effective, they should be based on a holistic approach to food, and give consumption benchmarks according to the degree of food processing (the only one that makes sense from a health point of view). Anthony Fardet's recommendations in his book: Revise nutritional recommendations for the French population. Abandon the Nutri-Score nutrition labeling, not scientifically validated, for a much simpler and much more effective labeling based on the degree of food processing. Encourage manufacturers to offer minimally processed foods with fewer additives. In the meantime, he details in his book 3 golden rules, essential to a healthier and more sustainable food system. Anthony Fardet is a researcher in preventive nutrition in a major French research organization.