Re-evaluating Your Food Choices: Why Ultra-Processed Foods Aren’t the Best Fuel

In their everyday lives, many high schoolers often dismiss what foods may not be the best for their health and tend to eat whatever makes them feel the best, or gives them short-term satisfaction. This may sound a bit harsh, especially for those who do make healthy choices, but in many cases, it is true. According to a study on lifestyle choices in high school athletes, titled: "The health-related determinants of eating pattern of high school athletes in Goiás, Brazil." 

The study on high school athletes in Goiás, Brazil, found that many young athletes engage in unhealthy eating patterns despite their involvement in sports. Key findings include:

• Skipping Breakfast: Over half (54.5%) of the athletes regularly skipped breakfast, a habit linked to using extreme weight-control methods such as vomiting or laxatives.
• Low Fruit & Vegetable Consumption: Only 8.9% of athletes consumed fruits and vegetables regularly, and this low intake was associated with the use of weight-loss pills.
• High Sweet Consumption: About 30% of athletes regularly ate sweets, a behavior strongly linked to increased TV screen time and, more commonly, among female athletes.
• Other Health Concerns: Many athletes reported feeling lonely, experiencing sleep disturbances, engaging in sedentary behavior, and being exposed to passive smoking.
  
  These results suggest that despite their active lifestyles, many young athletes struggle with poor nutrition choices, often influenced by weight concerns, media exposure, and lack of awareness.

But what exactly are these unhealthy food choices that so many young people gravitate toward? More often than not, they fall into the category of ultra-processed foods—industrially manufactured products packed with additives, preservatives, artificial flavors, and excessive amounts of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. These foods are designed to be convenient, addictive, and hyper-palatable, making them easy to overconsume.

For high schoolers, especially athletes, ultra-processed foods may seem like a quick and easy energy source. After all, grabbing a protein bar, a sugary sports drink, or a McDonald's hamburger meal between classes and practice feels efficient. However, despite their convenience, these foods provide little to no real nutritional value. Worse, they may actually be working against athletic performance and overall health.

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Nutrient Deficiencies

The persistent consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to various risks, which can be categorized into short-term and long-term effects. I would like to start by discussing how ultra-processed foods can be linked to shorter term nutritent deficiencies when the athletes' diets are primarily based on UPFs.

Ultra-processed foods are primarily composed of refined carbohydrates, processed oils, and artificial additives. They often lack essential nutrients critical for high school athletes, such as protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. While UPFs are sometimes fortified with synthetic vitamins, they do not provide the full spectrum of naturally occurring nutrients found in whole foods. Ultra Processed Foods 

Low Micronutrient Density → Deficiencies in Key Vitamins & Minerals

UPFs often contain refined sugars and low-fiber starches, which are quickly digested and absorbed, causing spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. This leads to a gradual more unstable level of energy during training, which is vital for competition. The consumption of refined sugars and low-fiber starches in UPFs result, overall, in reduced endurance, mental fatigue, and slower recovery. These simple carbohydrates lack the complex carbohydrates and fiber found in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which provide steady, sustained energy by slowing digestion and absorption. Whole foods also provide essential vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium and potassium, which are critical for muscle function and recovery. Deficiencies in these micronutrients can impair performance and delay recovery, as the body relies on them for muscle contraction, nerve function, and cellular repair processes.

Inflammatory Fats & Artificial Additives → Increased Injury Risk & Slow Recovery
Processed oils (such as soybean and palm oil) promote chronic inflammation, which can slow down recovery and increase injury risk. These fatty acids are classified in the omega-g category. In UPFs, the lack of omega-3 fatty acids (often found in whole foods like fish, nuts, and seeds) lead to increased muscle soreness and joint pain.

Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), regulate inflammation by influencing the production of signaling molecules called eicosanoids and specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs). Here is how this process works:

1. Eicosanoid Pathway: Balancing Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Signals
   Eicosanoids are hormone-like molecules derived from fatty acids that regulate inflammation. The key differences between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are the type of eicosanoids they produce:

• • Omega-6 fatty acids (e.g., linoleic acid, arachidonic acid) → Pro-inflammatory eicosanoids
    • Omega-6s are converted into compounds like prostaglandins (PGE2) and leukotrienes (LTB4), which increase inflammation, pain, and immune responses.
    • While inflammation is necessary for healing, excess omega-6s (from processed oils, fried foods, etc.) create a chronic inflammatory state that can lead to joint pain, muscle soreness, and slow recovery.

• • Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) → Anti-inflammatory eicosanoids
    • Omega-3 fatty acid, EPA, competes with omega-6s for enzymes like cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX), reducing the production of pro-inflammatory molecules.
    • Instead, the prostaglandins (PGE3) and leukotrienes (LTB5) found in omega-3 fatty acids, which are lipids (fats) that act as hormone-like substances in the body and promote inflammation by increasing blood flow, releasing pain-inducing chemicals, and activating immune cells, are far less inflammatory than their omega-6 counterparts.
    • By shifting the balance toward EPA/DHA-derived eicosanoids, omega-3s naturally reduce excessive inflammation without completely shutting down the immune response.

2. Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators (SPMs): Actively Stopping Inflammation
Inflammation doesn’t just need to be reduced—it needs to be resolved so tissues can heal properly. This is where SPMs, including resolvins, protectins, and maresins, come into play.

• Resolvins (derived from EPA and DHA), molecules that help reduce inflammation and promote tissue repair, actively turn off inflammation by blocking the migration of immune cells (like neutrophils) and reducing the production of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β).
• Protectins and maresins prevent oxidative damage and support muscle regeneration by enhancing tissue repair mechanisms.
• Without enough omega-3s, the body struggles to resolve inflammation, leading to chronic low-grade inflammation, which is linked to muscle soreness, joint pain, longer recovery times, and even long-term conditions like arthritis and cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  Why This Matters for Athletes:
  Without sufficient omega-3s, inflammation stays active for longer, delaying muscle repair and increasing soreness.
• A diet high in omega-6s (common in ultra processed foods) shifts the body into a pro-inflammatory state, making athletes more susceptible to injuries and fatigue.
• Whole foods rich in omega-3s (fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseeds) help balance eicosanoid production and promote faster recovery.
  
  Protein Quality & Muscle Recovery

  When it comes to muscle repair and growth, the body relies on the complete set of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. There are 20 amino acids in total, 9 of which are considered essential, meaning the body cannot synthesize them and must obtain them from food. These essential amino acids are particularly important for muscle recovery because they directly contribute to muscle protein synthesis, the process by which new muscle tissue is built to repair the damage caused by exercise.

  When a protein source has an incomplete amino acid profile, it means it lacks one or more of these essential amino acids, or the amount provided is insufficient. Without the full spectrum of essential amino acids, the body cannot effectively carry out muscle protein synthesis. This is because muscle growth requires all 9 essential amino acids to work together in a specific ratio. For example, leucine, one of the essential amino acids, plays a key role in activating the muscle-building process. If leucine is in short supply, the body struggles to initiate this repair and growth process.

  In addition, incomplete proteins often have lower bioavailability, which refers to how well the body can digest and absorb the protein. For example, plant-based proteins from soy or gluten are often less bioavailable compared to animal-based proteins, like those found in chicken, beef, eggs, or dairy. These animal proteins provide a more complete and easily absorbed set of amino acids, which makes them more efficient in supporting muscle recovery. On the other hand, when consuming proteins with low bioavailability, the body may not absorb all the amino acids it needs, hindering the repair and rebuilding of muscle fibers. 

  Why to Care: For high school athletes, adequate protein intake is crucial for muscle repair and growth, especially during periods of intense training or competition. Incomplete or low-bioavailability proteins, often found in UPFs can hinder recovery, leading to slower muscle repair, increased risk of injury, and reduced performance. Consuming high-quality, complete proteins ensures that athletes can effectively rebuild muscle tissue, maintain strength, and optimize their overall athletic development. Many athletes rely on protein bars, energy drinks, and packaged snacks, assuming they are fueling properly, which, in terms of temporary energy boosts, they are. However, when looking at the long-term benefits through a bigger picture, they often lack the nutrients needed for sustained performance and recovery.

What You Can Do:

When eating a meal before and after a workout, not necessarily right before a race, re-think what you are eating. For example, if you find yourself filling up on potato chips for lunch, sugary cereals like Fruit Loops in the morning, or processed meals like Lunchables in the evening, you may not be fueling your body properly. These ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are often low in essential nutrients and high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and refined carbohydrates, which can lead to energy crashes, slower recovery, and poor performance. Instead, focus on whole foods that provide complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats, such as whole grains, eggs, lean meats, and vegetables. These foods help stabilize your energy levels, support muscle repair, and improve overall athletic performance. By prioritizing nutrient-dense options, you’ll feel more energized, recover faster, and perform better in both practice and competition.

Sources:

Gupta, Rupal, et al. "The Health-Related Determinants of Eating Patterns of High School Athletes in Goiás, Brazil." Archives of Public Health, vol. 78, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-10. BMC Public Health, https://archpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13690-020-0396-3. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.