Taking advantage of the fact that these are days of gastronomic indulgence, in Sunday's dossier we want to focus on our general overconsumption of ultra-processed foods, a temptation that is easy to succumb to, but which has consequences. Scientific evidence links the consumption of these products to diseases with a higher risk of premature death. And in the last year, studies have increased, as have calls from scientists to put a stop to this. We'll look at what happens to our bodies when we eat, what the experts say, what alternatives exist, and what the differences are between prepared, processed, and ultra-processed foods.

In one way or another, humans have always processed food. We started by cooking it over fire; we dried, cured, salted, or fermented it to preserve it better. And later, we canned it. With all these processes, we gained in food safety and were also able to keep food in good condition for longer periods. These products also saved us time, effort, and money.

The US Secretary of Health, Robert J. Kennedy Jr., has stated that The blame for the poor health of their fellow Americans lies with ultra-processed foods.and has launched a campaign against these foods, which it defines as true "poison," to make the US healthy again (Make America healthy againOn average, it is estimated that Between 58% and 75% of the food intake of citizens of the United States is based on ultra-processed foods The percentage of skilled workers in the US is higher, while in other countries the percentage is much lower (31% in France or 25% in Spain). It is also true that US citizens have a life expectancy of around 78 years—four years lower than in other countries with a similar average purchasing power—and a lower percentage of older adults with a good quality of life due to the increase in diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic problems. But what is the real cause? Is it all the fault of ultra-processed foods?