A new study suggests that popular breakfast ultra-processed food may speed up the aging process. While many opt for “healthy” breakfasts like fruit yogurt or toast, research from the Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization, and Healthcare (IRCCS) in Italy highlights a hidden danger in these choices.
In the U.S., ultra-processed food, such as packaged snacks, instant noodles, and ready meals, account for nearly 60% of daily energy intake, according to findings published in The BMJ. Researchers now link these foods not only to diseases but to accelerated biological aging.
Ultra-Processed Foods and Biological Aging
Aging isn’t only about how long we’ve been alive—known as our chronological age—but also how well our bodies function, known as biological age. While chronological age is fixed, biological age can be influenced by lifestyle choices, like diet, and can accelerate, slow down, or even reverse over time.
To understand how diet affects biological aging, the Italian researchers, in collaboration with LUM University in Casamassima, examined data from over 22,000 participants. They looked at food habits and analyzed more than 30 blood molecules known to reveal biological age. They found that people who consumed more ultra-processed foods generally had a biological age older than their chronological age.
“Our data shows that high consumption of ultra-processed foods not only harms general health but also accelerates aging,” said Simona Esposito, the study’s lead author and a researcher in epidemiology and prevention at IRCCS.
Understanding the Mechanisms Behind Aging and Diet
While scientists are still exploring the exact mechanisms behind this link, they believe that industrial processing might alter food on a molecular level, impacting health beyond the usual nutritional concerns. Many ultra-processed foods are rich in sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats. According to Marialaura Bonaccio, a nutritional epidemiologist at IRCCS, “These foods undergo intense industrial processing that actually alters their food matrix, leading to a loss of nutrients and fiber.”
This loss can affect vital functions in the body, like glucose metabolism and gut health. Many of these foods are also packaged in plastic, which may leach toxic substances into the food and, ultimately, into the body.
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The Hidden Risks in Common Foods
Ultra-processed foods are often associated with colorful sodas and heavily preserved snacks, but they include seemingly harmless items too. Packaged bread, sweetened breakfast cereals, and fruit yogurts fall into this category, the study warns. Many people consider these foods healthy; however, their high processing levels might contribute to premature aging.
“Some nutrient-dense packaged foods are still classified as ultra-processed,” said Licia Iacoviello, co-author and director of epidemiology and prevention research at IRCCS. This reclassification, she suggests, should prompt changes in dietary guidance. It’s not just the content of these foods that’s problematic but the high degree of processing involved.
Reevaluating Dietary Choices for Healthy Aging
With findings that ultra-processed foods could impact both health and longevity, experts are urging people to reconsider what they eat. Small changes—choosing less processed options over packaged meals—could support long-term health and potentially slow down biological aging. Researchers hope this study will drive more awareness and lead to dietary recommendations that account for the effects of food processing.
This latest research sheds light on how seemingly minor daily choices can impact aging. While further research is needed to fully understand these effects, the study makes it clear: moving away from ultra-processed foods could be a step toward healthier aging.
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