Ultra-processed food causes mental health problems in children and teens, says ... trends now

Here’s a quandary I think most of us share: you love the occasional treat, such as a biscuit, a brownie or a slice of cake. 

But you will also know that the shop-bought products are often packed with lots of sugar and unhealthy fats, which means eating them is going to be bad for your waistline and your blood sugar levels.

Many of them also contain additives – things such as preservatives, flavourings, emulsifiers, colourings, chemicals for carbonating, firming, bulking (and anti-bulking), de-foaming, anti-caking and glazing, not to mention sequestrants and humectants.

These are the foods we now called ultra processed.

And if you’ve been following my column in the Daily Mail, you’ll know that eating lots of these kinds of ultra processed foods (UPFs) is bad news for your microbiome – the community of microbes, including bacteria, that lives in your gut – and, potentially, bad news for your mental health.

These microorganisms depend on us to provide them with good-quality fibre, which they use to produce vital chemicals to reduce inflammation in the body, protect our immune system and generally keep us healthy, as well as producing our own natural antidepressants, including serotonin.

But some of those chemicals in UPFs have been shown to alter the gut microbiome.

The risks are particularly true for children and young adults, who seem to be especially vulnerable to the impact of UPFs when it comes to mental wellbeing.

A recent study of teenagers in Spain, published in the journal Nutrients, showed that the more UPFs they ate, the higher their risk of obesity, depression and anxiety.

Another problem is that shop-bought treats can be addictive – because they’re high in carbs and low in important nutrients, such as protein and fibre, UPFs are likely to spike blood sugars then cause them to crash, leaving you craving more.

And many of these ‘treats’ are designed to keep you wanting more – studies have shown that after eating UPFs people have higher levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and lower levels of satiety hormones than people eating the same number of calories, but from more healthier foods.

I know this all too well from personal experience – when I start on a packet of chocolate digestives I do not stop until they’re all eaten. By which point my blood sugar levels are sky high and I feel bloated and guilty.

Yet I can’t imagine a future where I give up sweet treats altogether.

Which is where the new Fast 800 Treats Recipe Book comes in. The recipes have been created by my wife, Dr Clare Bailey, who’s been a GP for more than 30 years but who’s also a fantastic cook, dreaming up simple but healthy treats that are inexpensive, delicious and easy to make.

The reason it’s called the Fast 800 Treats Recipe Book is because it was originally intended to be used by people who follow our Fast 800 online programme.

But Clare’s recipes can also be enjoyed by anyone who simply wants to make tasty treats, which are high in flavour and won’t send your blood sugar levels soaring.

The new book contains 80 indulgent recipes, both sweet and savoury: there are family favourites, such as brownies and crumbles, but in these recipes the sugar has been replaced with the sweetness from fruits, such as dates, pears, raspberries and dried apricots.

Some of my favourites include chocolate almond fridge bars and chocolate coconut pudding. In case you hadn’t already guessed it, I am a chocoholic.

The other thing I would recommend, if you have children or grandchildren, is that you try making some of these recipes with them.

We know how important it is, if you want to build strong relationships with children, is to spend time with them, doing things. Chef Jamie Oliver, who I’ve met a few times, says he got his love of cooking from his parents, who ran a pub/restaurant where he was, from a young age, encouraged to practise cooking.

Most of the treats in this book are really easy to make (though young children will need supervising).

And if our kids are anything to go by, yours will want to share the treats they’ve made with friends and family, and that way revel in lots of positive feedback and praise.

To give you a flavour of the treats you can look forward to, Mail+ is publishing six of Clare’s favourite recipes.

Go ahead, give them a go. Your friends and family will love them, and this is such a good way to get the treats without the guilt.

APPLE AND BANANA MUFFINS WITH A CRUMBLE TOPPING

Originally inspired by a tangy Dorset apple cake, we swapped the white flour for spelt flour, an ancient grain, which is higher in protein and fibre, and available in most major supermarkets.

Makes 9

PER SERVING: Calories, 255; carbs, 11.7g; protein, 6.9g; fibre, 1g; sugar, 8.5g

INGREDIENTS: 

1 medium eating apple, cored

and finely diced, skin on

1 tbsp lemon juice

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

2 medium free-range eggs

1 medium ripe banana,

peeled mashed

75g butter, softened

100g ground almonds

30g wholegrain spelt flour

(or other wholegrain flour)

50g soft pitted dates,

roughly chopped

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1½ tsp baking powder

FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:

50g flaked almonds

25g butter, softened

1 tsp maple syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with 9 paper cases.

2. To make the crumble topping, place the flaked almonds, butter and maple syrup in a small food processor or blender and blitz until you have a rough crumbly mixture. Set aside.

3. Place the diced apple in a medium bowl and toss with the lemon juice and cinnamon.

4. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, banana, butter, ground almonds, flour, dates, vanilla extract and baking powder. Blitz with a

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