Minus 330 calories a day without dieting – a new study on unprocessed food

A new study by Professor Jeff Brunstrom shows that people who ate unprocessed foods naturally preferred fruits and vegetables over high-calorie natural foods such as rice, meat, and butter, which could contribute to weight loss. This was reported bywrites The Independent.

The data showed that people on an unprocessed diet could eat more than 50% more food by weight, but at the same time consumed an average of 330 fewer calories per day than those who ate ultra-processed foods.

Researchers re-analyzed data from a 2019 study that first showed that a diet rich in ultra-processed foods can lead to excessive calorie intake and weight gain. They found that people who ate exclusively whole foods consistently preferred fruits and vegetables over higher-calorie options such as pasta and cream. The scientists suggested that this is because the body has an innate "nutritional intelligence" that encourages it to choose foods rich in micronutrients.

In a comment to The Independent, Brunstrom noted that consuming unprocessed food simultaneously satisfies the body's need for calories and micronutrients. He explained that while a high-calorie serving of processed foods may be needed to obtain certain micronutrients, a more natural diet creates a balance between macronutrients and calorie content, which creates a kind of "brake" on the number of calories consumed.

For example, while those who followed a highly processed diet got most of their vitamin A from French toast and pancakes, those who ate unprocessed foods got this vitamin from spinach and carrots.

The nutritional composition of foods also influences choice, and it appears that ultra-processed foods push people toward high-calorie options that, even in much smaller quantities, are likely to lead to excess energy intake and, in turn, contribute to obesity.