Eye-opening study into ultra-processed foods and your risk of heart problemsMichelle Basch | *****@*****.tld March 28, 2026, 5:39 AM A report from the American College of Cardiology found people who eat more than nine servings of ultra-processed food a day are an average of 67% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, or die from heart disease than people who eat one serving a day. The study also found that with each daily serving, the risk of such an event goes up by more than 5%. Among Black Americans, each additional serving leads to an increase in risk of more than 6%. Dr. Michele Arthurs, a lifestyle medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente, told WTOP that if you’re not sure what you’re eating is ultra-processed, just look at the label. “You can see a long list of ingredients, many of which you may not be able to pronounce because they are additives or chemicals that are used for food preservation to increase shelf life,” she said. These kinds of foods also tend to be loaded with sugar, salt and saturated fat. “Our body, essentially, has to fight with them in order to kind of process them and get them through our system. And this leads to inflammation in the body,” Arthurs said. She recognized that many people may find it tough to stop eating ultra-processed foods altogether. Instead, she recommends limiting how much you eat. “It doesn’t mean you can’t have that ballpark hot dog,” Arthurs said, adding that cutting it in half and sharing it with someone was also an option. Other strategies Arthurs recommends to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods include: Eat a healthy meal before you head to an event, like a baseball game, where you know you’ll be exposed to a lot of ultra-processed foods. If you like sugary drinks, try alternating with ones that have little or no sugar. If you love snacking on chips, bring along an orange too, and eat the fruit before diving into the bag of chips. The findings, based on data from more than 6,800 U.S. adults, is being presented at the ACC’s Annual Scientific Session on March 28-30 in New Orleans. They’re also published in the journal JACC Advances. Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. ARTICLE SOURCE: https://wtop.com/health-fitness/2026/03/eye-opening-study-into-ultra-processed-foods-and-your-risk-of-heart-problems/
My son tried the carnivore diet, lost 12 or so pounds and then gave it up after about three weeks. I thought I would give it a try. Like most, men I just opened the box and didn't read any of the directions. LOL It took me a week to come off the Mountain Dew but went straight to an all-meat diet. For me, being a boring eater anyway, it has been relatively easy on just meats. The weight immediately started to fall off as I am 6'2" and was 306lbs. 6 pounds the first week and 9 the second week, give or take a day. I rolled onto my 12-hour rotating shifts and did the carnivore thing but only ate once a day. After that rotation I had lost over 20lbs and just this past weekend I had lost 30 pounds in 32 days. I have eaten nothing but meats and eggs from the start. I did continue to use drink mixers as I am not that big on drinking just water. This past week I decided to do some research.
The weight loss has been amazing, and I am no one to scream, "Hey look at me" but.....I have NMO/Devic's, autoimmune disease similar to Multiple Sclerosis. After a string of 12–14-hour night shifts I have pain in my upper back and at the base of my neck due to the inflammation from stenosis and healed lesions. For the last couple of years, the days after the string of night shifts, I take a prednisone for the inflammation, and it keeps me going. This week as I read about the benefits of the carnivore diet in regard to inflammation and I remembered I didn't need the prednisone this past week.
I didn't do any electrolytes, vitamins or supplements the first 32 days. Just meats and water. I felt fine other than a bout with diarrhea that was rather severe. The first day I tried an electrolyte drink I felt like I was bloated like a balloon. Lots of gas as well.
I'm into the second 60 second day stint. I don't really have any weight loss goals just get healthier.
I feel great and I the morning oohs and ahhs are gone.
Time will tell.
Scott