Brain Wrecking Food Stuff

The problem begins quite harmlessly. A bowl of freshly chopped greens. Some roasted vegetables. Some dressing. And then, almost automatically, a packet of baked or roasted ‘healthy chips’ is pulled out. Beetroot chips. Sweet potato chips. Nachni nachos — sprinkled on top just for crunch. The label boasts “Roasted”, “Baked”, “Ancient Grain”, “No Maida.” You feel you are making the healthier choice. Yet it might be damaging your brain.

An increasing number of studies have established an undeniable link between ultra-processed foods (UPF) and the deterioration of cognitive functions — including an increased likelihood of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The Packaging Lie

This is where most health-conscious Indians are being hoodwinked. Sweet potatoes are good for your health. Nachni is a traditional grain. Beetroot is a superfood. None of these statements can be denied. However, after the ingredients have been cut up, cooked at extremely high temperatures, mixed with flavouring agents, stabilizers, and preservatives, and packaged in foil with a shelf life of six months – they become ultra-processed.

The NOVA food classification, commonly employed in nutrition studies, categorises foods based on their processing rather than their initial composition. Both a beetroot crisp and a pack of noodles fall under the same hazardous bracket.

“Labels like baked, multigrain, or vegan create a health halo,” says Dr. Sheetal Goyal, Consultant Neurologist at Mumbai Central. “Consumers should focus on the degree of processing, not marketing terms.”

Processed foods harm the brain in multiple ways. They cause blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance, often referred to as ‘Type 3 Diabetes.’ They also disrupt the gut microbiome, where most serotonin is produced, leading to brain fog. Finally, these foods cause chronic inflammation that can damage brain cells over time.

Creeping Symptoms

The early warning signs will not show up on an MRI scan and can easily be explained away. Clinical Dietitian from Mumbai, Dr. Shweta Shah Panchal of The Diet Therapy explains what she observes in her clients, “The cognitive decline I observe linked to ultra-processed food consumption is not always dramatic, it's insidious. Patients report difficulty concentrating, brain fog, poor short-term memory and slower decision-making. These are early warning signs of hippocampal inflammation, the hippocampus being the brain's memory and learning centre.” She adds, “What concerns me most is the middle-aged demographic. This is the window where dietary patterns either protect or accelerate neurological decline.”

Dr. Anand Diwan, Neurologist, flags the compounding risk for a country already burdened by hypertension and diabetes. “Ultra-processed foods raise the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and small vessel disease, all of which impair blood flow to the brain. They promote neuroinflammation, disrupt the gut microbiome, and may affect serotonin-related pathways,” he says. The consequences for brain health in a country already carrying this burden are deeply concerning.

Straightforward Solution

By switching 10% of your UPFs consumption to whole foods (fruits, nuts, beans, and whole grains), you can cut down the risk of dementia by about 19%. Dr. Panchal offers a rule that needs no nutritional expertise: “If a product has more than five ingredients, your brain doesn’t recognise it as food. One packet of nachni nachos won't cause dementia, but three ultra-processed snacks a day, every day, over 10 years, layered with chronic stress and poor sleep, that is a perfect storm for early cognitive decline.”

Dr. Goyal's thought cuts through the noise: “Protecting brain health is less about chasing trendy labels and more about choosing foods that remain as close to nature as possible.” The idea of the salad bowl was spot on, and the pack on top is ruining it all.

Hard To Process

• The market value of the ultra-processed foods industry in India is approximately between $38 billion and $40 billion.

• Ultra-processed foods account for 44% of the diet of Indians between the ages of 18 and 34. In people older than 55, this number is only 11%. (Global Mind Health 2025 Report)

• The group consuming the largest amount of UPFs will suffer the effects of this unhealthy diet the longest.

Worrisome Figures

• Around 8.8 million Indians above the age of 60 currently live with dementia.

• By 2050, that number is projected to cross 11 million.

• Some estimates place it as high as 17 million by 2036.

The Crunch Call

• Eating UPFs regularly increases dementia risks by 37 to 44% (2025 meta-analysis on a global scale)

• People consuming the highest amounts of UPF were 25% to 44% more likely to have dementia than those consuming the lowest amount (UK Study)

• These figures put UPFs in the same category as smoking, lack of physical activity, and high BP as modifiable dementia risks.