Could ultra-processed foods cloud your thinking?

When you walk into the kitchen and forget why you’re there or lose your train of thought mid-sentence, you probably don’t blame your diet.

But a recent study found that eating more ultra-processed foods was associated with poorer attention and higher estimated dementia risk scores. The study doesn’t prove those foods cause cognitive changes, but it adds to growing research examining how diet may affect brain health.

“An occasional lapse in concentration is common and doesn’t necessarily signal a problem,” says Dr. Darren Gitelman, a behavioral neurologist and senior medical director of Advocate Memory Center at Advocate Health Care. “Attention, however, plays an important role in how we learn, solve problems and form memories, so significant changes in our ability to focus might warrant a closer look.”

What counts as ultra-processed food?

Ultra-processed foods are industrially produced and often contain ingredients – such as artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives – you wouldn’t typically use in a home kitchen. They include many packaged snacks, sugary drinks, frozen meals and processed meats.

In the study, ultra-processed foods made up about 41% of participants’ daily calories. Notably, even people who otherwise closely followed a Mediterranean-style diet had poorer attention scores when they ate more ultra-processed foods.

“The findings suggest we should pay attention to both sides of the equation, the nutritious foods we add to our diets and the ultra-processed foods we limit,” Dr. Gitelman says.

Simple ways to reduce ultra-processed foods

Cutting back on ultra-processed foods, rather than trying to make everything you eat from scratch, is a reasonable and achievable goal.

Start by looking for opportunities to replace highly processed choices with whole or minimally processed foods. For example, swap a sugary drink for water, choose fruit and nuts instead of packaged sweets, or replace a frozen meal with something simple made from vegetables, whole grains and lean protein.

“Diet is only one part of supporting your cognitive health as you age,” Dr. Gitelman says. “Staying physically active, getting adequate sleep and managing conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes also play important roles.”

There’s no single recipe for keeping your brain healthy as you age. But the choices you make every day – including what you eat – can help support your cognitive health for years to come.

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